2025 Keynote Speaker
We are excited to welcome Scott Weidensaul, award-winning author and researcher, as the keynote speaker for the 2025 Monte Vista Crane Festival!
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CO Birding challenge
The annual Colorado Birding Challenge (COBC) is just around the corner, and this year, your participation can make a significant impact on bird habitat restoration in the San Luis Valley.
Kids Crane Fest Quest Celebrates Sandhill Cranes
The Friends of the San Luis Valley National Wildlife Refuges is excited to announce the Kids Crane Fest Quest, taking place from October 8-14, 2023, during National Wildlife Refuge Week.
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The Lasting Impact of Sandhill Cranes
We wanted to share an email we recently received from one of our donors, Robert Krattli. Robert’s story is indicative of the generational relevance of the San Luis Valley’s Sandhill Crane migration, and the lasting impact of the Monte Vista Crane Festival.
Wetland habitat health
Wetlands provide essential habitats for a wide variety of bird species, including sandhill cranes, which rely on these ecosystems for nesting, foraging, and migration.
A Pod of Cranes
Two new podcasts feature all the details about the 40th Anniversary of the Monte Vista Crane Festival and the premiere of the new short documentary “Where the Cranes Meet the Mountains.”
Celebrating 40 Years of Cranes & Conservation
March in the San Luis Valley brings frequent snowfall, strong winds, and the annual return of the area’s oldest visitors—Sandhill Cranes. Although cranes have been migrating through the Valley’s wetlands for centuries, this year marks the 40th anniversary of the event dedicated to showcasing the majesty of the cranes and their habitat: The Monte Vista Crane Festival.
A 40th Anniversary Keynote from ICF
A 40th Anniversary Keynote from ICF ICF Co-Founder to share Lessons Learned From 50 Years of Crane Conservation Big anniversaries deserve to be celebrated in style. That’s why we are very excited to announce that for our 2023 keynote speaker, we will be hosting a speaker from an organization that is also celebrating a hallmark
A Fresh New Look
A fresh new look The monte vista crane festival celebrates 40 years with a brand new logo! 2023 marks the 40th anniversary of the Monte Vista Crane Festival. Over the past four decades, we have grown from a small event, largely attended by SLV locals, to a thriving, three-day festival filled with tours, lectures, live
CraneCam1 braves the elements at the monte vista wildlife refuge
CraneCam1 braves the elements at the monte vista wildlife refuge It may not have to endure the same conditions as the Mars Rover’s ChemCam, but CraneCam1 still takes its fair share of abuse to provide crane enthusiasts with the latest footage of bird activity on the Monte Vista Wildlife Refuge. In spring and fall, CraneCam
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