Othello Sand Hill Crane Festival

The Othello Sand Hill Crane Festival is a three-day event held in the spring. As the days grow longer and spring approaches, area bird watchers are on the look-out for large graceful gray birds flying overhead.  If they are flying low enough, one can see a red patch on the birds’ heads. They have a very distinctive call described as a loud, rolling that can be heard from more than a mile away. Upon hearing this loud sound, birders excitedly call one another or post the news on their Facebook or Twitter page: “The Cranes are here”. Sandhill cranes that are…on their way from California to Alaska.  The birds stop in the Othello area to refuel for a couple of months and then move on to breed and raise young in Alaska. Their main goal from mid-February to April is to gain weight for the rest of their journey.

Eighteen years ago, the Sandhill Crane Festival came into being.  What started as a small festival has grown to become one of the Northwest’s premier events. For more information visit Othello Sand Hill Crane Festival website.

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