04/29/2026
One of the many things we love about Alabama ! đź’š
Most people don't know that Alabama hosts one of the most spectacular wildlife events in the entire eastern United States — and it happens every single winter right here in the Tennessee Valley. 🦅
Wheeler National Wildlife Refuge in Decatur is the winter home of tens of thousands of sandhill cranes, and when they lift off at sunrise, the sky goes dark with wings. 🌅 The ancient, rattling call of the cranes rolling across the water is something you feel in your chest before you ever see them.
The refuge has been protecting this stretch of the Tennessee River since 1938, and every November through February, birdwatchers travel from across the country to witness what Alabamians have quietly known about for generations.
Have you ever seen the crane migration at Wheeler? Drop your story below — or tag someone who needs to make the drive up to Decatur this winter! 👇