Each year in mid-April, over 2,000 volunteers travel to their local wetlands and favorite birding locations to participate in the crane count. This annual survey of Sandhill and Whooping Cranes spans over 150 counties in seven states of the upper Midwest, including Wisconsin and portions of Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Ohio and Minnesota.

To participate in the crane count, you first need to contact your County Coordinator to be assigned a site and get more instructions. Click here to view the listing of county coordinators. See Counter Information to download your data sheet, instructions for entering your data and other useful links.

If your county is not involved and you are interested in becoming a County Coordinator, contact the International Crane Foundation’s Crane Count Coordinator at 608-356-9462.