A conversation about the biology, personalities & strong family ties of Sandhill Cranes — a featured talk for the 2016 Yampa Valley Crane Festival!

Cranes have fascinated humans for thousands of years. Many civilizations in Asia have maintained high places of honor for cranes. To some who work with cranes, these tall, vocal birds are often described as “people with wings.” Over the last 30 years, more bird festivals in the U.S. have been dedicated to viewing cranes than any other bird species. Why is this?  Why this fascination with cranes? In his presentation, crane expert Paul Tebbel will help you understand why we are drawn to cranes. Through the use of video footage and sharing stories collected over his decades of working with and watching cranes, Paul combines the biology of their survival with explanations of their behavior to help you better understand these amazing birds.

About the speaker
Paul Tebbel is the Executive Director of the Effie Yeaw Nature Center on the Lower American River in Sacramento, California. Paul received a BS in Biology from Northern Michigan University and a MS in Zoology from the University of Western Ontario with his master’s thesis on sandhill cranes. Paul was the manager/director of the Lillian Annette Rowe Sanctuary, owned by the National Audubon Society, in Gibbon, Nebraska for 11 years. The sanctuary focuses on habitat protection for sandhill and whooping cranes, waterfowl and other wildlife and the long range management of the Platte River. One of their primary missions is providing nature education opportunities for people of all ages.
One of Paul’s main hobbies remains watching sandhill cranes and their behavior. He uses his own video programs to show the unique characteristics of these birds and has led workshops on cranes and crane behavior at Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge’s Festival of the Cranes for 14 years.

About the Yampa Valley Crane Festival
The Greater Sandhill Crane is an iconic species of the Yampa Valley. Returning in the spring, cranes nest and raise their young in wetland areas throughout the valley. In late summer and early fall, hundreds of cranes from the Rocky Mountain flock join the local birds to rest and feed before continuing their journey south. The festival includes daily crane viewings, expert speakers, films, art exhibits, workshops, family activities and more. All community activities and events are free unless otherwise indicated in the program, and the Bud Werner Memorial Library will be home base for many of these talks, films and events.

Learn more about the Yampa Valley Crane Festival at www.coloradocranes.org.