You wonât have to strain your neck to get a gander at some of Tucsonâs latest winter visitors.
A record number of sandhill cranes â about 42,200 of the migratory birds â have descended on southeast Arizona, Arizona Game and Fish says.
The number of cranes this year surpasses both five- and ten-year averages, the agency said.
The cranes, known for their distinctive calls and synchronized flights, typically begin arriving in Willcox in mid-September to early October.
They start to depart around mid-February, with some lingering until mid-March.
The Willcox Playa boasts the largest concentration, hosting more than 24,000 cranes.
Arizona Game and Fishâs Whitewater Draw Wildlife Area near McNeal accommodates about 14,000 cranes, Safford Valley-Duncan has nearly 4,000 cranes and Bonita supports fewer than 300, the agency said in a news release.
For bird enthusiasts, prime viewing locations include Cochise Lake, south of Willcox, and the APECO Apache Generating Station in Cochise.
These sites offer an unparalleled opportunity to witness the cranesâ daily routine of dawn feeding in farmersâ fields, with most returning between 11 a.m. and 4 p.m.
This yearâs annual sandhill crane count by Game and Fish coincides with the commencement of the Wings Over Willcox Birding & Nature Festival, running through Sunday.
As part of the festivalâs Nature Expo, AZGFD will showcase live birds at the Willcox Community Center on Saturday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Go to www.wingsoverwillcox.com for more information.
Photos: Sandhill cranes in southeastern Arizona, 2021
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A sandhill crane picks its way through the shallows with thousands of others at the Whitewater Draw Wildlife Area, McNeal, Ariz., January 5, 2021. Approximately 35,000 of the birds will be in the area through February until they pack up and head north for the summer. Wings Over Willcox 2021 is offering scaled down tours and online presentations this year during their 28th annual birding and nature festival January 15-16. The two day festival will have "COVID-cautious" walks at the Draw and limited self-driving tours. For more information go to wingsoverwillcox.com
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A few of the 35,000 sandhill cranes, and ducks and geese, take advantage of the sparse water at the Whitewater Draw Wildlife Area, McNeal, Ariz., January 5, 2021.
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A pair of sandhill cranes have a scuffle in the waters at the Whitewater Draw Wildlife Area, McNeal, Ariz., January 5, 2021.
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Sandhill cranes take advantage of the sun and water during an afternoon at the Whitewater Draw Wildlife Area, McNeal, Ariz., January 5, 2021.
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A sandhill crane passes over the paths at the Whitewater Draw Wildlife Area looking for a place to set down with the 35.000 other birds, McNeal, Ariz., January 5, 2021.
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A line of snow geese paddle through he 35,000 sandhill cranes spending their afternoon in the waters at the Whitewater Draw Wildlife Area, McNeal, Ariz., January 5, 2021.
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Birders look out at the the tens of thousands of sandhill cranes spending an afternoon on the shores of the Whitewater Draw Wildlife Area, McNeal, Ariz., January 5, 2021.
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A pair of sandhill cranes jostle for position along the banks at the Whitewater Draw Wildlife Area, McNeal, Ariz., January 5, 2021.
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A pair of sandhill cranes in nearly perfect sync fly over the walk ways at the Whitewater Draw Wildlife Area, McNeal, Ariz., January 5, 2021.
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Several hundred sandhill cranes launch themselves into the late afternoon sunlight at the Whitewater Draw Wildlife Area, McNeal, Ariz., January 5, 2021.
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A flock of sandhill cranes fly into the Whitewater Draw Wildlife Area form the field just west of the preserve as the sun sets, McNeal, Ariz., January 5, 2021.
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A group of sandhill cranes fly over Whitewater Draw Wildlife Area looking for a likely spot to settle in for the night, McNeal, Ariz., January 5, 2021.
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A handful of sandhill cranes settle down over a small stretch of water at the Whitewater Draw Wildlife Area, McNeal, Ariz., January 5, 2021.
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A group of sandhill cranes find a small patch of water at the Whitewater Draw Wildlife Area for their night's rest, McNeal, Ariz., January 2, 2021.
