Louisville, KY — Residents across the Metro area were treated to a spectacular aerial show today as hundreds of Sandhill Cranes made their noisy passage south for the winter.

On November 26th, large flocks were spotted flying over Cherokee Park, Bonnycastle, Deer Park, and Clifton Heights. Sightings were also reported as far south as Pleasure Ridge Park (PRP) and Shively, and as far north as Prospect and Glenview.

You can view the original neighborhood discussion and video in this Nextdoor post.

”The Cranes! The Cranes!”

Unlike the familiar honking of Canada Geese, Sandhill Cranes possess a unique, loud, rattling bugle call that can be heard from miles away. Many residents initially mistook the birds for geese until they looked up to see the massive flocks circling high in the air.

“They are just magical,” reported one resident in Towne Orchard. Another in Belknap described the calls as “music to my ears.”

How to Tell Them Apart from Geese

While both species fly in V-formations, there are key differences:

• Flight Style: Geese fly in a consistent, powerful V. Cranes often circle to catch thermal updrafts (rising warm air) to gain altitude before gliding. One observer noted their flight pattern involves a lot of “dipsy doodling” compared to the straight lines of geese.
• Sound: Geese honk. Cranes have a rolling, trilling croak that sounds prehistoric.
• Altitude: Migrating cranes often fly at much higher altitudes, sometimes appearing as tiny specks above 10,000 feet.

Where Are They Going?

These “snowbirds” are on a direct route to Florida and southern Georgia to escape the freezing temperatures of the north. Kentucky lies directly in their migratory path, offering us these brief but breathtaking windows of observation in late November and early December.

If you missed them today, keep your ears open. As one resident noted, “You usually hear ‘em before you see ‘em.”

Did you capture photos of the migration? Tag us on social media!