Ashley Overhouse

Tall grasses sway as a sandhill crane glides just above the calm water. She lands, waits for a bit… Splash! The sandhill crane snatches a fish from the water! With the prey in her beak, she soars toward the cottonwood tree laced horizon where the rest of her siege gathers. These migratory birds are hunkered down in their California wintering grounds until spring.  

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cranes
Patrick Myers/NPS

Greater sandhill cranes are one of the oldest species in California, at an estimated 2.5 million years old. Yet they face an uncertain future in our rapidly changing landscape. The sandhill crane is listed as threatened under the California Endangered Species Act, primarily because of the loss of suitable breeding habitat, and the continued loss of winter foraging areas. Wetlands are a key habitat and in a state with increasing droughts, more intense wildfires and shrinking freshwater supply should be a priority for humans, too.

Go with the Flow

Sandhill cranes have proven they will go where the water is. So, if water returns to a previously drained habitat, the cranes will follow. Look at the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta as an example. This freshwater estuary of coastal and tidal wetlands is the largest west of the Mississippi River, is revered by Native Americans and is considered an ecological hotspot.  

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crane
Jim Ridley

Since the 19th century, however, agricultural interests have over extracted water from the Delta and Central Valley wetlands. This inevitably drained 95% of the state’s inland wetlands. The Delta is now considered on the brink of collapse, plagued by salinity intrusion, subsidence, harmful algae blooms and loss of habitat due to urban and agricultural development.  

Most recently, the Migratory Bird Conservation Partnership, with funding and support from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, used the BirdReturns Program for the first time to provide needed wintering habitat in the Sacramento Valley and Delta for the Greater sandhill crane. BirdReturns is a flexible, cost-effective wildlife habitat marketplace designed to increase flooded habitats for migratory birds where and when they need it most in ways that deliver multiple benefits for the farmers, wetland managers and communities who participate. The goal is to complement existing habitat by providing additional foraging and roosting habitat, meaning more freshwater on the landscape. Individual growers provide either foraging sites or roosting sites, or both in combination.  

As wetland habitat in the Delta is returned, so too will the sandhill cranes return.  

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sandhill
fStop Foundation

Why California is Key

Sandhill cranes are not the only animals who benefit from the return of wetlands on the California landscape. California is situated along the Pacific Flyway, a roughly 10,000-mile bird corridor that stretches from the west coast of South America up to the Arctic. As birds travel varying distances along the Flyway, it is essential that they find stopover sites that provide suitable food and habitat. California’s wetlands offer both, supporting millions of migratory birds each year.

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male chinook
David Herasimtschuk/Freshwaters Illustrated

For countless resident native species, California’s Delta and wetlands are more than a temporary stopover. Fish species like Chinook salmon, breeding waterfowl, the threatened giant garter snake and plants including rushes, sedges and riparian trees rely on wetlands to support them year-round. For all these species, the continued persistence and health of California’s Delta and inland wetlands are essential for survival and recovery.

A Lesson for Humans

We need to prioritize wetlands and water on the California landscape. We hear so much about the water, but wetlands cannot be forgotten!  

In low-elevation areas, like California’s Central Valley, wetlands are key for flood protection. Wetlands have high water storage capacity and their vegetation slows the speed of flood waters, so in times of high rainfall and runoff, wetlands are a natural form of stormwater detention. This will become increasingly important as California continues to grapple with the effects of climate change.

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Gil Quintana/USFWS
Gil Quintana/USFWS

Through Defenders’ collaboration with the Central Valley Joint Venture, we support a variety of approaches to increase wetland acreage in the Central Valley. As outlined in the CVJV implementation plan, we help to advance well-planned wetland restoration projects and programs like BirdReturns’ Sandhill Crane Program that benefit wetland-dependent wildlife.  

We can all help improve and restore California’s wetlands, as well as speak up for the animals relying on them. Do your part to conserve water, whether you live in California or are visiting, and engage with agencies making decisions about the California landscape. It is important for them to know the public cares about these freshwater species and their wetland habitat. 

Author

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Ashley Overhouse Headshot

Ashley Overhouse

Water Policy Advisor
Ashley is the Water Policy Advisor for Defenders’ California Program and engages on a variety of issues statewide, including water transfers, water rights and the enforcement of environmental laws.

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