Humboldt Park, November 2, 2025. Photo by Dan Wendt.

words by Brighten Jelke

Here in Chicago, Sandhill Cranes are often heard long before you can spot them in the sky. They regularly pass through the Chicago area in large groups during migration but rarely touch down within city limits. Sandhill Cranes are otherwise considered common in northern Illinois, though, and it’s early spring (or late winter, depending on who you ask), which means cranes are already on the move back north.

During the 2025 fall migration period, there were multiple instances of individual Sandhill Cranes making a landing in city parks in Chicago, including one in Humboldt Park in early November. COS Board Member Chris Holden writes: “A few minutes into our recurrent COS Humboldt Park Sunday Social Birdwalk, a fellow park-goer saw our multitude of binoculars and deduced we were birders. She came over and informed us that a Sandhill Crane was hanging out on a nearby ball-field. After excitedly confirming from her description that it was in fact the bird she reported, and hearing that she had just seen it minutes before, we power-walked, or rather, power-meandered, in that direction, thrillingly found the bird in the open, and got great views of it feeding.”

According to Holden, while Sandhill Crane flyovers (sometimes numbering in the thousands) have been recorded in Humboldt Park, eBird reports show only one other instance of a crane that landed in the park, and it was observed by only one person in late December 2020. Remarked Holden, “Given the rarity of such an occurrence, it was wonderful that our group of over 20 participants as well as several other people over the course of the day got to experience such an event!”

Sandhill Cranes are dependent on wetland habitats for resources, but are also well-adapted to agricultural fields and city parks outside of the breeding season. With the relatively large amount of space available in Humboldt Park’s baseball fields and lagoons, it’s easy to see what could make it attractive to a visiting crane. It’s possible that we could have more visitors in the future as the increasing Sandhill population further adapts to changes in climate and habitat.

Montrose Point, November 5, 2025. Photo by Santo Locasto.

Within a few days of the Humboldt Park sighting, a Sandhill Crane was also recorded at Montrose Beach. COS Contributor Santo Locasto noted, “On this particular day, a Surf Scoter and White-winged Scoter were diving for food in the Lake Michigan waters east of the Montrose Harbor mouth. After patiently waiting for them to resurface a few times, I snapped a few photos of each and decided to move on. I knew a Sandhill Crane had been in the Sanctuary but it was reported in different areas at different times, so I started to walk back towards the Sanctuary entrance. After only walking about fifty steps, much to my surprise, there was the Sandhill Crane foraging in the grass right up ahead of me. I immediately noticed that the skyline was in the background, so I slowly flanked the bird to get it in a good position for each shot. I was lucky enough that it remained there for me long enough to get Downtown Chicago Skyline, Navy Pier, and Lake Michigan water crib background photos. Prior to this day, I had never seen a Sandhill Crane on the ground at Montrose! As a matter of fact, the only photos I had of Sandhill Cranes in our Chicago area were of them migrating overhead the last few Novembers.” Who knows, maybe they’ll touch down again in the spring.

On a personal note, Sandhill Cranes were one of the first bird calls I learned to recognize after declaring myself a birder. Something about hearing a unique trumpeting call echoing through the sky, knowing huge flocks were on a journey high above me, made dreary November days just a little bit brighter. It would be another two years before I would finally see one on the ground, in McHenry County. I’m eagerly awaiting the day I am lucky enough to spot one in Chicago as well.

Editor’s note: We hope you will enjoy the poem below, by Brighten Jelke, written in response to the following prompt: What is something small and simple you like about living?

This morning I woke up to
The distant calls of sandhill cranes
Flying far above my apartment
Just passing through

I’ve never seen one on the ground but
Like clockwork they come and go
The dead end tail of migration

I cracked the window open
Fumbled for my glasses
Watched my breath fog in the cold and snow

I sat and I listened
Laid back in my bed, pleased, and thought
I know you!

The Cranes Have Landed