The State of Nebraska now has an official migratory bird.
Governor Pete Ricketts signs a proclamation that designates the Sandhill Crane as the official migratory bird of Nebraska.
“Each spring, up to one million Sandhill Cranes gather along the Platte River during their annual journey north,” the Governor said . “The migration is a majestic sight that attracts tens of thousands of spectators to central Nebraska. Today, I’m declaring the Sandhill Crane as the official State migratory bird in Nebraska. This designation recognizes the Sandhill Cranes’ migration as one of Nebraska’s most amazing natural spectacles. It also recognizes the benefit of the cranes to the State’s tourism industry, which warmly welcomes out-of-state birdwatchers each year to marvel at their migration."
The ceremony was at at the Rowe Sanctuary in Gibbon.
(Picture from Getty Images)