Michigan's largest birds are preparing to head south for the winter, but before they go, they're gathering in fields and marshes across the state.

In celebration of the annual gathering and migration, the Battle Creek Kiwanis Club is hosting its 30th annual CraneFest at Kiwanis Youth Conservation Area , 22300 15 Mile Road near Bellevue.

The site is "next door" to Michigan Audubon's Bernard W. Baker Sanctuary where hundreds of cranes congregate each fall. In 2024, 1,595 cranes were counted by volunteers and Michigan Audubon staff.

With a 6- to 7-foot wingspan and striking red crown, the "modern dinosaurs" are preparing to take off to winter in southern U.S. states and northern Mexico. They are the largest bird and the oldest bird species living in the state's grasslands and wetland

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