WILLCOX, Ariz. (KGUN) — Sandhill Cranes are hard to miss, if you know where to look: They're tall with an unmistakable song and travel in large flocks around Southeastern Arizona during the region's mild winters.
Wings Over Willcox is an annual birding and nature festival that celebrates the cranes' annual return to Cochise County. The multi-day festival begins Thursday, Jan. 12 and continues through Sunday, Jan. 15.
The festival features a number of free events as part of its four days of birding-related exhibits, lectures and hands-on, kid-friendly activities aimed at educating people not only about Sandhill Cranes, but also other wildlife along the borderlands and birding in general:
A free 30th anniversary reception with live music at the Willcox Community Center, 312 W. Stewart St. will kick off this year's Wings Over Willcox.
Not attending the festival? Tucson Audubon Society says the best places to view the migratory birds around southeastern Arizona through March include:
The natural and cultural history of Sandhill Cranes in southern Arizona dates back at least to the region's early human history: "Petroglyphs of these birds, etched into stones by native people hundreds of years ago, can still be found along the lower Gila River," writes the Arizona Game and Fish Department.
They say the population experienced a decline around the turn of the twentieth century, but the cranes' numbers are now abundant.
Wings over Willcox organizers say attendees can register for field trips, seminars and other activities that have not yet sold out at their in-person registration desk during the festival.
Participants can also email info@wingsoverwillcox.com or call (520) 384-2874 for more information.
Find out more about Sandhill Crane migration on Absolutely Arizona: Record number of iconic Sandhill Cranes in southeast Arizona
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Anne Simmons is the digital executive producer for KGUN 9. Anne got her start in television while still a student at the University of Arizona. Before joining KGUN, she managed multiple public access television stations in the Bay Area and has worked as a video producer in the non-profit sector. Share your story ideas and important issues with Anne by emailing anne.simmons@kgun9.com or by connecting on Instagram, Twitter or LinkedIn.
