Climate Change
California Rice Fields Offer Threatened Migratory Waterbirds a Lifeline
Conservation groups are working with Central Valley farmers to restore critical habitat for wetland birds struggling to subsist on a fraction of their historic wintering grounds. But finding the right spots is challenging.
ARBUCKLE, Calif.—On a misty December morning, a few dozen sandhill cranes stood in shallow water in the middle of a flooded rice field in the Sacramento Valley, about 90 miles north of San Francisco. The cranes, statuesque wading birds with a long, elegant neck and broad wings, appeared remarkably still for a gregarious species known for their dramatic dance moves.
California Rice Fields Offer Threatened Migratory Waterbirds a Lifeline