2025 BirdReturns-Sandhill Crane Program- Applications Open July 25, 2025 - August 17, 2025
This year, the Migratory Bird Conservation Partnership (MBCP), with support and funding from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, will implement the BirdReturns Program to provide essential winter habitat in the Sacramento Valley and Delta for the Greater Sandhill Crane—a threatened subspecies in California. In addition to benefiting cranes, the habitat created through this program will support a wide variety of other waterbirds, including waterfowl, shorebirds, and wading birds.
Why this Matters
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. By maintaining a mosaic of wetlands and well-managed wildlife-friendly croplands, this region can continue to support these birds while simultaneously benefiting other wildlife and the regional economy.
The program aims to encourage farmers to establish new habitat for Sandhill Cranes, ultimately helping to strengthen the species' population resilience in the Central Valley. By supplementing existing habitat, the program seeks to offer additional roosting and foraging areas. Roosting sites provide cranes and other waterbirds with safe resting areas at night, while nearby foraging sites offer reliable feeding grounds.
To participate in the Sandhill Crane Winter Program, farmers must submit an application that includes the proposed acreage for foraging and/or roosting habitat, planned start and end dates, and maps showing the location of all proposed fields. Participating farmers will receive a fixed payment of $95 per acre for each habitat type enrolled in the program. Highest priority will go to bids in regions of known historic use by cranes, as informed by roosting maps and scientific literature. Within these regions, funds will be prioritized in the following order:
- Habitat complexes containing both roosting and foraging habitat
- Foraging habitat
- Roosting habitat
Requirements for Roosting Habitat:
- Post-harvest or fallow agricultural fields that are at least 30 acres and not larger than 200 acres.
- Fields must have a minimum width of 100 meters without continuous bands of large trees along the edge.
- Field must be open (no trees or vines) with minimal stubble/other vegetation. Incorporation of crop residue or weeds may be necessary.
- Must be flooded from 3-9 inches in depth for at least 8 weeks between September 29 and December 31, 2025.
- 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.
- A two-week gradual drydown period following the eight-week flooding period is highly encouraged.
- Must be un-hunted for at least 8 weeks between September 29 and December 31, 2025.
Requirements for Foraging Habitat:
- Unflooded harvested rice, corn (but not silage corn), or other grain fields (e.g., barley, wheat, oats, etc.) totaling at least 50 acres. If foraging habitat is included in a bid with roosting habitat, then it must be of equal or greater acreage.
- 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 (6th) 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.
- Fields where any hunting occurs. No hunting is allowed on enrolled roost fields or fields directly adjacent to the enrolled roost fields. Hunting is allowed on any enrolled forage fields.
- Roost fields with trees along their borders are excluded. Foraging fields may have some trees on their edges, but fewer trees are preferred.
For more information and to apply, please refer to the BirdReturns-Sandhill Crane Program 2025 webpage. There will also be an informational gathering hosted by the California Rice Commission to discuss winter incentive programs - more information here.