This year up to 23 sandhill cranes have been spotted in their majestic flight over the Otter Creek Marsh in Tama County. A few sandhill cranes had used Otter Creek Marsh prior to 1992 as a resting place in their annual spring and fall migration. But in 1992, a pair of sandhills successfully hatched two chicks, the first documented successful nesting since the late 1800 s in Iowa. Otter Creek Marsh has had either one or two successful nests each year since that first nest in 1992. The sandhill crane is the oldest living species of bird, with fossils dating back six million years.
Many biologists believe the sandhill has been virtually unchanged for nine million years.
Their gray plumage is offset only by a bare red crown, white cheek feathers, and a black bill, legs and feet. Males are slightly larger than females, but the sexes look alike and can best be distinguished by their behavior during mating displays. Young birds look similar to adults, but have gray feathers in place of the red skin on their crowns. Cranes are a very secretive species requiring large, open freshwater wetlands and shallow marshes. Otter Creek Marsh fits the habitat needs of the sandhill crane.