Major stopovers for the Mid-Continent population include the Platte River in Nebraska and the San Luis Valley in Colorado for the Rocky Mountain population. Sandhills begin arriving in Arizona in early October and remain until late February when their return migration to nesting areas begins. Wintering areas selected by cranes feature shallow water roosting areas with low or no vegetation. The Willcox Playa offers excellent roosting area. Cranes winter in close proximity to harvested grain fields.
Corn is preferred.
Sandhills leave roosting areas in early morning, usually about sunrise, to fly to feeding areas where they spend three to four hours. Following feeding the birds fly to loafing areas, which may be the night roost site, other wetland areas, fallow fields or simply desert grasslands areas, Sometimes the cranes return to feeding areas in the afternoon for an hour or two, but the afternoon feeding flight is much more variable than the morning flight. From near sunset until virtually dark cranes return to roosting sites. Sandhills are overall gray in color with black feet, legs and bill, and a dull red patch of skin on the forehead. In flight, blackish primary feathers can be seen.