Each year, more than 10 million migrating waterfowl and other birds descend on south central Nebraska's Rainwater Basins, which encompass 4,200 square miles across 17 Nebraska counties. In years of normal precipitation, rainwater and snowmelt fill the basins.

The shallow basins warm quickly in the spring and brew up a protein-rich soup of invertebrates. This, and a generous supply of seeds and tubers from wetland plants and waste grain from surrounding farms, provides a well-balanced diet for the birds, who arrive in February after the wetlands begin to thaw and stay for about three weeks. It is possible to see enormous concentrations of one million or more geese on some wetland basins. Most birds can be viewed from your vehicle.

The rainwater basin is ideally situated to serve as an important resting and refueling station for waterfowl. The basin is now just a fraction of its former self. Partnerships such as the Rainwater Basin Joint Venture are working with private landowners to help restore significant portions of these wetlands for the enjoyment of birds and humans for decades to come.

From the USGS Factsheet: The Central Platte River Valley and adjacent Rainwater Basin Area of Nebraska are major stopover areas for migratory sandhill and whooping cranes, waterfowl and shorebirds during late winter and spring. Habitat along the Platte River also serves as an important corridor for migrant passerines and shorebirds and provides valuable habitat for breeding birds. Wet meadows and shallow wetland basins provide important invertebrate food resources for migrants. Intensive use of land and water has transformed both areas. Changes in river hydrology and structure of riparian habitats along the Platte and extensive loss of wetland habitat in the Rainwater Basin have brought into question the sustainability of migratory and resident birds and other biota.

Information about crane movements:
Nebraska Game and Parks
Department of the Interior
Contact: gary_krapu@usgs.gov
For more information:www.npwrc.usgs.gov