Amanda Hegg, left, and Katie Arens observe sandhill cranes and their reactions to power lines from blinds located along the Platte River. They’re part of a research team studying the use of an ultraviolet light system to reduce the number of nighttime collisions. (Photo by Erika Pritchard, UNK Communications)
GIBBON – Each spring, the distinctive calls of sandhill cranes echo across the Platte River Valley in central Nebraska.
More than a million of these majestic birds converge on a 70-mile stretch of the river, stopping to rest and refuel during one of the largest wildlife migrations in North America. For several weeks in late February, March and April, the cranes gather in vast numbers along the river, creating a spectacle that draws visitors from across the country and around the world.
The migration has become a defining feature of the region. According to a recent economic impact report from the Nebraska Flyway Partnership, the spring crane migration generated an estimated $28 million in business output in central Nebraska in 2025 and attracted more than 35,000 visitors during the season.
“The crane migration is like nothing else in the world,” said Amanda Hegg, senior conservation associate at the Iain Nicolson Audubon Center at Rowe Sanctuary. “It’s one of the only mass migrations you’ll see here in North America, and Nebraska is right at the heart of it.”
While the migration is awe-inspiring, it also presents risks. Power lines that cross the Platte River corridor can be difficult for cranes to see, especially at night when they return to the water to roost.
“Collisions with energy infrastructure are one of the top threats to birds,” Hegg noted. “In the U.S., millions of birds die every year from collisions with buildings, power lines and wind turbines.”
At Rowe Sanctuary, located about 20 miles east of Kearney, researchers and conservationists are working to ensure sandhill cranes can continue their journey safely. Hegg leads a project aimed at reducing crane collisions with power lines along the Platte River.
University of Nebraska at Kearney freshman Katie Arens is part of the effort. She joined the project this semester with support from the UNK Wildlife Biology Endowed Student Research Fund.
The research team is testing an “avian collision avoidance system,” a device that uses ultraviolet light to illuminate power lines and make them more visible to birds flying at night. Each system consists of a light box mounted on a utility pole and powered by solar panels and rechargeable batteries. Multiple LED lights project cones of ultraviolet light across the wires.
While birds can clearly see UV light, it appears only faintly purple or blue to humans.
“Rowe Sanctuary is actually the first site to ever test this technology,” Hegg said.
Early results have been promising. A 2021 study conducted by the researchers found the system was nearly 90% effective at reducing crane collisions. Now, they’re testing a newer version that uses a pulsing light rather than a constant beam, which could make the devices less expensive and easier for utilities to adopt.
“If it is just as effective, we can manufacture these systems a lot cheaper so people can buy them and they’ll be more commonly implemented,” Hegg explained.
A wildlife biology student, Arens is part of the team monitoring the results. Researchers observe the power lines from blinds at two locations along the river, recording collisions, near misses and avoidance behavior as cranes pass overhead.
For the UNK freshman, the project provides hands-on experience in a field she hopes to pursue long term.
“It’s a really great opportunity,” she said. “I think it’s extremely valuable to be able to work with people like Amanda and the rest of the team, ask them questions and learn more about research itself.”
Originally from Ainsworth, Arens first developed an interest in conservation and wildlife biology through field experiences with her mother, Beth, who currently works for the Nebraska Forest Service.
“I had a lot of chances to go out with her on different field study projects, and that exposed me to the different opportunities,” she said. “I knew I wanted a job working outside, so this is the perfect fit for me.”
After moving to Kearney five years ago, she saw sandhill cranes for the first time and began to appreciate the importance of protecting them.
“It’s really special that I was able to grow up in an area that’s so big for bird migration,” Arens said.
Funded by private donors and an energy company, the Rowe Sanctuary project has implications beyond sandhill cranes.
The Platte River corridor is a critical stopover for whooping cranes, an endangered species with fewer than 1,000 birds remaining in the wild.
About 30% of the Aransas-Wood Buffalo population migrates through the area each year.
“This is a wide-scale threat no matter where you are on the planet,” Hegg said of bird collisions with energy infrastructure.
The goal, she added, is to build enough evidence that ultraviolet lighting systems can be used in other areas where birds frequently collide with power lines.
“Birds are extremely important for our ecosystems,” Hegg said. “They’re the beating heart of our ecosystems. And they’re important culturally as well.”
Arens views the work as part of a broader responsibility to protect the natural world.
“We have to take care of nature because it’s taking care of us,” she said. “That’s our job – to take care of the world we were given.”
