Sandhill Crane Program

2026-27 BirdReturns-Sandhill Crane Program- Applications NOW OPEN!

BirdReturns has been working with farmers and landowners for over 10 years to provide habitat for migratory shorebirds, cranes, waterfowl, and other waterbirds. This year, The Migratory Bird Conservation Partnership (MBCP), with funding and support from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, will be using the BirdReturns Program to provide needed wintering habitat in the Sacramento Valley and Delta for the Greater Sandhill Crane, a California threatened subspecies. Habitat provided through this program will also benefit a wide diversity of other waterbird species including waterfowl, shorebirds, and other wading birds.

2026-27 BirdReturns-Sandhill Crane Program

The objective of the Sandhill Crane Program is to incentivize farmers to create new crane habitat to increase the resilience of the Central Valley’s population. Our goal is to complement existing habitat by providing additional foraging and roosting habitat.

NEW THIS YEAR: We are limiting the fall and winter start dates this year due to predictions by climate experts of an “historic” El Niño this fall, which is expected to exceed the strength of all previous events on record since 1950.

The 2026-2027 Sandhill Crane Program will have seven enrollment periods with four start dates in the fall for fall/winter habitat, and three start dates in winter for winter/spring habitat (see enrollment dates below).

For fall/winter enrollments, individual growers may provide either foraging sites or roosting sites, or both in combination, for a period of 8 weeks. Note, for these options, the earlier the start date, the higher the application will rank.
For winter/spring enrollments, individual growers must provide roosting sites only for a period of 8 weeks, with a gradual drawdown over the final two weeks of the roosting habitat period. For these options, the later the start date, the higher the application will rank.

Enrollment Options

Applicants can submit applications for the fall/winter, and/or winter/spring, or both.

ENROLLMENT PERIODS	START DATE	END DATE	FIXED RATE PER ACRE

FALL/WINTER
HABITAT TYPE(S)	Roost, forage, or roost and forage habitat complex
OPTION 1	October 5, 2026	November 29, 2026	$90
OPTION 2	October 12, 2026	December 6, 2026	$90
OPTION 3	October 19, 2026	December 13, 2026	$90
OPTION 4	December 7, 2026	January 31, 2027	$90

WINTER/SPRING
HABITAT TYPE(S)	Roost with 2-week gradual drawdown
OPTION 5	January 18, 2027	March 14, 2027	$95
OPTION 6	February 1, 2027	March 28, 2027	$95
OPTION 7	February 8, 2027	April 4, 2027	$95

Roosting sites provide sanctuary habitat for cranes and other waterbirds to congregate and spend the night safe from predators. Fields must be unhunted and flooded from 3-9 inches in depth for at least eight weeks in the fall/winter or eight weeks in the winter/spring (see start date options above).

Foraging sites provide locations for cranes to feed near their night roosts. These sites must be harvested grain fields that had a crop in production in 2026, and they must be left untilled and unflooded for the first six weeks to maximize the amount of food for birds. This habitat practice is only available for the fall/winter options 1-4 (see below).

On some fields, social attraction techniques that involve the use of decoys and broadcasting of crane vocalizations will be used to attract cranes. At these sites, access for setup and monitoring will be necessary. Participation in the social attraction study is optional.

To apply for the Sandhill Crane Winter Program, farmers must submit an application that includes proposed acreage for foraging (fall/winter only) and/or roosting habitat, start and end dates, and attached maps that show all proposed fields.

Fixed Rate:

Fall/Winter Enrollment: Farmers will be paid a fixed rate of $90 an acre for roost, forage, or both habitat types for the three program enrollment options that start in October and the program option that starts in December.

Winter/Spring Enrollment: Farmers will be paid a fixed rate of $95 an acre for program enrollment options for roost habitat with a two-week gradual drawdown that end in March or April. Forage habitat is not an option for the winter/spring enrollments.

Program Details

Application Period: August 24, 2026-September 11, 2026 @11:59pm

Application Notification: Applicants will be notified of award decisions between September 25-29.

Geography

Sacramento Valley and the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta—the primary wintering area of the Greater Sandhill Crane subspecies. Farmers can apply for sites located in Butte, Contra Costa, Colusa, Glenn, Placer, San Joaquin, Sacramento, Solano, Sutter, Yolo, and Yuba Counties, California.

Timing

Farmers can apply for options 1-4 for the fall/winter enrollment periods, and/or options 5-7 for the winter/spring enrollment periods, or both.
Appropriate roosting and/or foraging habitats must be maintained for a period of at least eight weeks.
On applications to provide both foraging and roosting habitat for the fall/winter enrollments, the dates of each habitat type must be the same.

Program Enrollment Windows

Applicants select the enrollment periods, options 1-7, that work best for them, choosing a Monday start date.

Appropriate Field Types and Sizes

Participants may submit multiple applications; however, please review the enrollment limits below.

Fall/Winter Program Options

Available start dates: October 5, 12, 19, and December 7, 2026.
Roost habitat: Minimum of 30 acres, with enrollment capped at 250 acres per site/farm.
Forage habitat: Minimum of 50 acres, with enrollment capped at 500 acres per site/farm.
Habitat complexes (combined roost and forage habitat): Minimum of 50 acres, with enrollment capped at 500 total acres per site/farm, including a maximum of 250 acres of roost habitat.
For these options the earlier the start date the higher the application will rank.

Winter/Spring Program Options

Available start dates: January 18, February 1, and February 8, 2027
Roost habitat only: Minimum of 30 acres, with enrollment capped at 500 acres per site/farm with a required gradual draw-down over the final two weeks of the program.
For these options the later the start date the higher the application will rank.

Minimum acreage requirements may be met by combining contiguous fields. Intervening levees are permitted. Detailed habitat requirements for each habitat type are provided below.

Important: Failure to meet start dates may result in a payment reduction

Field Management

Roosting Habitat

> Post-harvest or fallow agricultural fields that are at least 30 acres and not larger than 250 acres in fall/winter or 500 acres in winter/spring

> Fields must have a minimum width of 100 meters without continuous bands of large trees along the edge.

> Fields must be open (no trees or vines) with minimal standing stubble or other vegetation. Incorporation of crop residue or weeds may be needed.

> Fields must be fully flooded by the program start date and maintained to shallow depths (3-9”) for at least eight weeks, beginning on one of the seven program option start dates between October 5, 2026, and April 4, 2027.

> A two-week gradual drawdown period is required for the final two weeks (weeks 7-8)  for the winter/spring enrollment periods that begin January 18, February 1, or February 8 to provide habitat for migratory shorebirds.

>Fields must have reliable access to water for flooding maintenance.

> In sloping fields, the shallow end may be less than 3”, and the deeper end greater than 9”.  Flood management should be done to maximize the desired depth range (3-9”) across the field.  Fields must be open (no trees or vines) with minimal standing stubble or other vegetation. Incorporation of crop residue or weeds may be needed.

Foraging Habitat

> Acceptable crop types include unflooded harvested rice, corn (but not silage corn), or other fields (e.g., barley, wheat, oats, etc.) where grain was grown in 2026 that total at least 50 acres. Fields that were idle in 2026 will not be eligible. If foraging habitat is included in an application with roosting habitat, then it must be of equal or greater acreage.

> Foraging habitat is not an option for the three winter/spring enrollment periods.

> Forage habitat must be maintained for at least eight weeks. Beginning the sixth (6^th) week of enrollment, forage fields may begin a slow flood up but must remain at a maximum depth of two (2) inches or less until the end of the enrollment period (the eighth week). This practice is optional and not a requirement of the program.

> Hunting is optional on enrolled forage fields that do not adjoin roost fields, but applications that commit to forgoing hunting on forage fields will receive extra points.

> Forage fields may have some trees on their edges, but fewer trees are preferred.

> No burning, baling, tilling (e.g., disking, chiseling, etc.), or stomping is allowed on forage fields

> Corn: Harvested and chopped (or mulched) with no tillage (disking/chiseling) before the enrollment end date. Use of a roller to put crop residue in contact with the soil to facilitate decomposition is permitted.

> Rice: Conventional harvest (no stripper header), with no tillage (disking/chiseling) before the enrollment end date. Stubble may be left standing or chopped. Use of a roller to put crop residue in contact with the soil is permitted.

> Other cover types should be managed similarly.

> Forage habitat must be maintained for at least eight weeks. Beginning the sixth (6^th) week of enrollment, forage fields may begin a slow flood up but must remain at a maximum depth of two (2) inches or less until the end of the enrollment period (the eighth week). This practice is optional and not a requirement of the program.

Ineligible Fields

Fields enrolled in any annual incentive program (i.e., NRCS EQIP) that provides payment to conduct flooding during any overlapping time period. Enrollments may be staggered back-to-back in time.
Fields located within five miles of major airports, including Travis AFB, Beale AFB, and Sacramento International.
No hunting is allowable on roost fields or fields directly adjoining.
Roost fields with trees along their borders are excluded.
Forage fields are not eligible if they were idle in 2026 or flooded after the 2026 harvest.

Payment Rates

PROGRAM BUDGET: $400,000

SANDHILL CRANE HABITAT PROGRAM ACREAGE GOAL: 4,300 acres

PAYMENT RATE: $90 per acre for fall/winter enrollments, $95/acre for winter/spring enrollments

LATE START DATES: Failure to meet start dates may result in a payment reduction. Please communicate with TNC contacts about any delays.

Application Ranking and Scoring Processes

All applications will be ranked and scored by representatives from the Migratory Bird Conservation Partnership and the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. The selection committee will assess applications according to standardized methods, using the best available science and tools to predict the habitat value of each application. Fields will be given a score based on position in the landscape relative to historical roost sites, land cover, surface water availability, and timing. Representatives from the Migratory Bird Conservation Partnership and the California Department of Fish and Wildlife will meet on September 24, 2026, to review all applications.

Highest priority will go to applications in regions of known historic use by cranes, as informed by roosting maps and scientific literature.

For fall/winter enrollments, habitat complexes containing both roosting and foraging habitat will be prioritized

The enrollments will be ranked proportionally higher the earlier the habitat begins. October 5 start dates will be ranked more highly than October 12, October 19, and December 7 start dates, and October 12 start dates will be ranked more highly than enrollments beginning on October 19 and December 7, October 19 start dates will be ranked more highly than December 7 start dates. In addition, applicants willing to forego hunting on forage fields will be preferentially selected.

For winter/spring enrollments: Roosting habitat with a gradual two-week drawdown only

The enrollments will be ranked proportionally higher the later the habitat is maintained. Feb. 8 start dates will be ranked more highly than Feb. 1 and Jan. 18 start dates, and Feb. 1 start dates will be ranked more highly than Jan. 18 start dates.

The highest-scoring applications will be selected until the acreage goal is met and/or the budget is spent. If an applicant submits multiple applications on a property, initially only the highest scoring application from each property will be accepted. Once all properties have been considered, if the acreage goal has not been met and budget remains, additional applications from each property will be considered in ranked order. We reserve the right to reject any applications that are outside of the program requirements, intent, or team capacity. Feel free to contact us if you would like to discuss what type of habitat (roosting and/or foraging) is most desirable for your specific location (for fall/winter start dates), or if you would like additional explanation about the scoring criteria.

View Sample Contract Here

Why The Sandhill Crane Program Is Important?

Worldwide, cranes are one of the most imperiled groups of birds. In recent years, wintering Sandhill Cranes populations in California appear to have declined due to the loss of flooded habitats which they depend upon for roosting, and reductions in small grain agriculture which provides their main food source. The conversion of wildlife-friendly seasonal field crops like corn, and rice, to more permanent crops such as orchards and vines has directly eliminated large areas of habitat for this iconic Central Valley species. Compounding this problem is the fact that many sandhill cranes return to the same sites year after year. If historic habitats are lost, they may struggle to find new, suitable sites.

Fortunately, however, Sandhill Cranes respond well to the implementation of simple management actions that are easy to implement for many farmers. All that is needed is to create flooded areas for roosting flocks, and nearby foraging habitats in suitable harvested agricultural fields. Our program is designed to achieve this by providing compensation to farmers that are interested and willing to manage their fields in this way.

By increasing the number of potential roost sites and using social attraction techniques to entice cranes to use them, we can offset the losses of suitable wintering habitat that is currently occurring in this region and ensure that these iconic birds have the resources they need to thrive.

Maintaining a mosaic of wetlands and well-managed wildlife-friendly croplands will allow this region to continue to support these birds while simultaneously benefiting other wildlife and the regional economy.

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