Joel Sartore Joel Sartore

National Geographic Photographer and Speaker

Keyword: Platte River

Photo: Sandhill Cranes roost on the Platte River near Kearney, Nebraska.

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Sandhill Cranes roost on the Platte River near Kearney, Nebraska.

Photo: Sandhill cranes roost along the Platte River near Kearney, Nebraska.

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Sandhill cranes roost along the Platte River near Kearney, Nebraska.

Photo: A studio portrait of a platte river caddisfly, (Ironoquia plattensis), a candidate for the endangered species list.

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A studio portrait of a platte river caddisfly, (Ironoquia plattensis), a candidate for the endangered species list.

Picture of a Platte River caddisfly (Ironoquia plattensis) a candidate for listing under the U.S. Endangered Species Act.

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A Platte River caddisfly (Ironoquia plattensis) a candidate for listing under the U.S. Endangered Species Act.

A Platte River caddisfly (Ironoquia plattensis) a candidate for listing under the U.S. Endangered Species Act.

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A Platte River caddisfly (Ironoquia plattensis) a candidate for listing under the U.S. Endangered Species Act.

Photo: A federally endangered interior least tern (Sterna antillarum athalassos) on a nest sand pit along the Platte River near North Bend, NE.

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A federally endangered interior least tern (Sterna antillarum athalassos) on a nest sand pit along the Platte River near North Bend, NE.

A Platte River caddisfly (Ironoquia plattensis) a candidate for listing under the U.S. Endangered Species Act.

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A Platte River caddisfly (Ironoquia plattensis) a candidate for listing under the U.S. Endangered Species Act.

A Platte River caddisfly (Ironoquia plattensis) a candidate for listing under the U.S. Endangered Species Act.

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A Platte River caddisfly (Ironoquia plattensis) a candidate for listing under the U.S. Endangered Species Act.

A Platte River caddisfly (Ironoquia plattensis) a candidate for listing under the U.S. Endangered Species Act.

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A Platte River caddisfly (Ironoquia plattensis) a candidate for listing under the U.S. Endangered Species Act.

A Platte River caddisfly (Ironoquia plattensis) a candidate for listing under the U.S. Endangered Species Act.

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A Platte River caddisfly (Ironoquia plattensis) a candidate for listing under the U.S. Endangered Species Act.

A female bobolink (Dolichonyx oryzivorus) is caught by biologists using a mist net, near Wood River, Nebraska. Avian ecologists trap and put tiny geolocators, which track sun intensity as well as sunrise and sunset, on male bobolinks. When the birds are recaptured (months from now) and the data is downloaded and used to calculate the birds' migratory route. The species winters in South America, but little is known of its specific route.

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A female bobolink (Dolichonyx oryzivorus) is caught by biologists using a mist net, near Wood River, Nebraska. Avian ecologists trap and put tiny geolocators, which track sun intensity as well as sunrise and sunset, on male bobolinks. When the birds are recaptured (months from now) and the data is downloaded and used to calculate the birds’ migratory route. The species winters in South America, but little is known of its specific route.

Biologists tag a male bobolink (Dolichonyx oryzivorus) in Nebraska. They will put tiny geolocators, which track sun intensity as well as sunrise and sunset, the birds' backs. When the birds are recaptured (months from now) and the data is downloaded and used to calculate the birds' migratory route. The species winters in South America, but little is known of its specific route.

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Biologists tag a male bobolink (Dolichonyx oryzivorus) in Nebraska. They will put tiny geolocators, which track sun intensity as well as sunrise and sunset, the birds’ backs. When the birds are recaptured (months from now) and the data is downloaded and used to calculate the birds’ migratory route. The species winters in South America, but little is known of its specific route.

A grasshopper sparrow (Ammodramus savannarum) nest is well camouflaged in the thick prairie grasses along the Platte River near Wood River, Nebraska.

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A grasshopper sparrow (Ammodramus savannarum) nest is well camouflaged in the thick prairie grasses along the Platte River near Wood River, Nebraska.

A male bobolink (Dolichonyx oryzivorus) near Wood River, Nebraska.

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A male bobolink (Dolichonyx oryzivorus) near Wood River, Nebraska.

A biologist holds a male bobolink (Dolichonyx oryzivorus), captured for a study near Wood River, Nebraska. They will put tiny geolocators, which track sun intensity as well as sunrise and sunset, the birds' backs. When the birds are recaptured (months from now) and the data is downloaded and used to calculate the birds' migratory route. The species winters in South America, but little is known of its specific route.

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A biologist holds a male bobolink (Dolichonyx oryzivorus), captured for a study near Wood River, Nebraska. They will put tiny geolocators, which track sun intensity as well as sunrise and sunset, the birds’ backs. When the birds are recaptured (months from now) and the data is downloaded and used to calculate the birds’ migratory route. The species winters in South America, but little is known of its specific route.

Biologists capture a male bobolink (Dolichonyx oryzivorus) near Wood River, Nebraska. They will put tiny geolocators, which track sun intensity as well as sunrise and sunset, the birds' backs. When the birds are recaptured (months from now) and the data is downloaded and used to calculate the birds' migratory route. The species winters in South America, but little is known of its specific route.

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Biologists capture a male bobolink (Dolichonyx oryzivorus) near Wood River, Nebraska. They will put tiny geolocators, which track sun intensity as well as sunrise and sunset, the birds’ backs. When the birds are recaptured (months from now) and the data is downloaded and used to calculate the birds’ migratory route. The species winters in South America, but little is known of its specific route.

Biologists capture a male bobolink (Dolichonyx oryzivorus) near Wood River, Nebraska. They will put tiny geolocators, which track sun intensity as well as sunrise and sunset, the birds' backs. When the birds are recaptured (months from now) and the data is downloaded and used to calculate the birds' migratory route. The species winters in South America, but little is known of its specific route.

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ANI082-00050

Biologists capture a male bobolink (Dolichonyx oryzivorus) near Wood River, Nebraska. They will put tiny geolocators, which track sun intensity as well as sunrise and sunset, the birds’ backs. When the birds are recaptured (months from now) and the data is downloaded and used to calculate the birds’ migratory route. The species winters in South America, but little is known of its specific route.

Thousands of sandhill cranes (Grus canadensis) roost on the Platte River during their annual migratory stopover at the Rowe Audubon Sanctuary near Gibbon, NE. With water in the river fully appropriated for urban areas and agriculture, many wonder how long it will be until the river runs dry. Some 600,000 to 800,000 cranes use just a few miles of the river in central Nebraska--areas that have been been mechanically cleared of the woody vegetation that the birds can't tolerate.

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Thousands of sandhill cranes (Grus canadensis) roost on the Platte River during their annual migratory stopover at the Rowe Audubon Sanctuary near Gibbon, NE. With water in the river fully appropriated for urban areas and agriculture, many wonder how long it will be until the river runs dry. Some 600,000 to 800,000 cranes use just a few miles of the river in central Nebraska–areas that have been been mechanically cleared of the woody vegetation that the birds can’t tolerate.

Sandhill cranes (Grus canadensis) kettling over the Platte River, near the Rowe Audubon Sanctuary in Gibbon, Nebraska.

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Sandhill cranes (Grus canadensis) kettling over the Platte River, near the Rowe Audubon Sanctuary in Gibbon, Nebraska.

Sandhill cranes (Grus canadensis) in flight over the Platte River near the Rowe Audubon Sanctuary in Gibbon, Nebraska.

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Sandhill cranes (Grus canadensis) in flight over the Platte River near the Rowe Audubon Sanctuary in Gibbon, Nebraska.

Thousands of sandhill cranes (Grus canadensis) roost on the Platte River during their annual migratory stopover at the Rowe Audubon Sanctuary near Gibbon, NE. With water in the river fully appropriated for urban areas and agriculture, many wonder how long it will be until the river runs dry. Some 600,000 to 800,000 cranes use just a few miles of the river in central Nebraska--areas that have been been mechanically cleared of the woody vegetation that the birds can't tolerate.

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ANI082-00023

Thousands of sandhill cranes (Grus canadensis) roost on the Platte River during their annual migratory stopover at the Rowe Audubon Sanctuary near Gibbon, NE. With water in the river fully appropriated for urban areas and agriculture, many wonder how long it will be until the river runs dry. Some 600,000 to 800,000 cranes use just a few miles of the river in central Nebraska–areas that have been been mechanically cleared of the woody vegetation that the birds can’t tolerate.

Thousands of sandhill cranes (Grus canadensis) roost on the Platte River during their annual migratory stopover at the Rowe Audubon Sanctuary near Gibbon, NE. With water in the river fully appropriated for urban areas and agriculture, many wonder how long it will be until the river runs dry. Some 600,000 to 800,000 cranes use just a few miles of the river in central Nebraska--areas that have been been mechanically cleared of the woody vegetation that the birds can't tolerate.

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Thousands of sandhill cranes (Grus canadensis) roost on the Platte River during their annual migratory stopover at the Rowe Audubon Sanctuary near Gibbon, NE. With water in the river fully appropriated for urban areas and agriculture, many wonder how long it will be until the river runs dry. Some 600,000 to 800,000 cranes use just a few miles of the river in central Nebraska–areas that have been been mechanically cleared of the woody vegetation that the birds can’t tolerate.

Thousands of sandhill cranes (Grus canadensis) roost on the Platte River during their annual migratory stopover at the Rowe Audubon Sanctuary near Gibbon, NE. With water in the river fully appropriated for urban areas and agriculture, many wonder how long it will be until the river runs dry. Some 600,000 to 800,000 cranes use just a few miles of the river in central Nebraska--areas that have been been mechanically cleared of the woody vegetation that the birds can't tolerate.

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Thousands of sandhill cranes (Grus canadensis) roost on the Platte River during their annual migratory stopover at the Rowe Audubon Sanctuary near Gibbon, NE. With water in the river fully appropriated for urban areas and agriculture, many wonder how long it will be until the river runs dry. Some 600,000 to 800,000 cranes use just a few miles of the river in central Nebraska–areas that have been been mechanically cleared of the woody vegetation that the birds can’t tolerate.

Thousands of sandhill cranes (Grus canadensis) roost on the Platte River during their annual migratory stopover at the Rowe Audubon Sanctuary near Gibbon, NE. With water in the river fully appropriated for urban areas and agriculture, many wonder how long it will be until the river runs dry. Some 600,000 to 800,000 cranes use just a few miles of the river in central Nebraska--areas that have been been mechanically cleared of the woody vegetation that the birds can't tolerate.

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ANI082-00006

Thousands of sandhill cranes (Grus canadensis) roost on the Platte River during their annual migratory stopover at the Rowe Audubon Sanctuary near Gibbon, NE. With water in the river fully appropriated for urban areas and agriculture, many wonder how long it will be until the river runs dry. Some 600,000 to 800,000 cranes use just a few miles of the river in central Nebraska–areas that have been been mechanically cleared of the woody vegetation that the birds can’t tolerate.

Thousands of sandhill cranes (Grus canadensis) roost on the Platte River during their annual migratory stopover at the Rowe Audubon Sanctuary near Gibbon, NE. With water in the river fully appropriated for urban areas and agriculture, many wonder how long it will be until the river runs dry. Some 600,000 to 800,000 cranes use just a few miles of the river in central Nebraska--areas that have been been mechanically cleared of the woody vegetation that the birds can't tolerate.

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ANI082-00007

Thousands of sandhill cranes (Grus canadensis) roost on the Platte River during their annual migratory stopover at the Rowe Audubon Sanctuary near Gibbon, NE. With water in the river fully appropriated for urban areas and agriculture, many wonder how long it will be until the river runs dry. Some 600,000 to 800,000 cranes use just a few miles of the river in central Nebraska–areas that have been been mechanically cleared of the woody vegetation that the birds can’t tolerate.

Thousands of sandhill cranes (Grus canadensis) roost on the Platte River during their annual migratory stopover at the Rowe Audubon Sanctuary near Gibbon, NE. With water in the river fully appropriated for urban areas and agriculture, many wonder how long it will be until the river runs dry. Some 600,000 to 800,000 cranes use just a few miles of the river in central Nebraska--areas that have been been mechanically cleared of the woody vegetation that the birds can't tolerate.

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Thousands of sandhill cranes (Grus canadensis) roost on the Platte River during their annual migratory stopover at the Rowe Audubon Sanctuary near Gibbon, NE. With water in the river fully appropriated for urban areas and agriculture, many wonder how long it will be until the river runs dry. Some 600,000 to 800,000 cranes use just a few miles of the river in central Nebraska–areas that have been been mechanically cleared of the woody vegetation that the birds can’t tolerate.

Thousands of sandhill cranes (Grus canadensis) roost on the Platte River during their annual migratory stopover at the Rowe Audubon Sanctuary near Gibbon, NE. With water in the river fully appropriated for urban areas and agriculture, many wonder how long it will be until the river runs dry. Some 600,000 to 800,000 cranes use just a few miles of the river in central Nebraska--areas that have been been mechanically cleared of the woody vegetation that the birds can't tolerate.

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Thousands of sandhill cranes (Grus canadensis) roost on the Platte River during their annual migratory stopover at the Rowe Audubon Sanctuary near Gibbon, NE. With water in the river fully appropriated for urban areas and agriculture, many wonder how long it will be until the river runs dry. Some 600,000 to 800,000 cranes use just a few miles of the river in central Nebraska–areas that have been been mechanically cleared of the woody vegetation that the birds can’t tolerate.

Thousands of sandhill cranes (Grus canadensis) roost on the Platte River during their annual migratory stopover at the Rowe Audubon Sanctuary near Gibbon, NE. With water in the river fully appropriated for urban areas and agriculture, many wonder how long it will be until the river runs dry. Some 600,000 to 800,000 cranes use just a few miles of the river in central Nebraska--areas that have been been mechanically cleared of the woody vegetation that the birds can't tolerate.

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Thousands of sandhill cranes (Grus canadensis) roost on the Platte River during their annual migratory stopover at the Rowe Audubon Sanctuary near Gibbon, NE. With water in the river fully appropriated for urban areas and agriculture, many wonder how long it will be until the river runs dry. Some 600,000 to 800,000 cranes use just a few miles of the river in central Nebraska–areas that have been been mechanically cleared of the woody vegetation that the birds can’t tolerate.

Two Sandhill cranes (Grus canadensis) feed on waste grain in near the Rowe Audubon Sanctuary in Gibbon, Nebraska.

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Two Sandhill cranes (Grus canadensis) feed on waste grain in near the Rowe Audubon Sanctuary in Gibbon, Nebraska.

Sandhill cranes (Grus canadensis) feed on waste grain near the Rowe Audubon Sanctuary in Gibbon, Nebraska.

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Sandhill cranes (Grus canadensis) feed on waste grain near the Rowe Audubon Sanctuary in Gibbon, Nebraska.

Thousands of sandhill cranes (Grus canadensis) roost on the Platte River during their annual migratory stopover at the Rowe Audubon Sanctuary near Gibbon, NE. With water in the river fully appropriated for urban areas and agriculture, many wonder how long it will be until the river runs dry. Some 600,000 to 800,000 cranes use just a few miles of the river in central Nebraska--areas that have been been mechanically cleared of the woody vegetation that the birds can't tolerate.

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Thousands of sandhill cranes (Grus canadensis) roost on the Platte River during their annual migratory stopover at the Rowe Audubon Sanctuary near Gibbon, NE. With water in the river fully appropriated for urban areas and agriculture, many wonder how long it will be until the river runs dry. Some 600,000 to 800,000 cranes use just a few miles of the river in central Nebraska–areas that have been been mechanically cleared of the woody vegetation that the birds can’t tolerate.

Thousands of sandhill cranes (Grus canadensis) roost on the Platte River, forming living sandbars, during their annual migratory stopover at the Rowe Audubon Sanctuary near Gibbon, NE. With water in the river fully appropriated for urban areas and agriculture, many wonder how long it will be until the river runs dry. Some 600,000 to 800,000 cranes use just a few miles of the river in central Nebraska--areas that have been been mechanically cleared of the woody vegetation that the birds can't tolerate.

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Thousands of sandhill cranes (Grus canadensis) roost on the Platte River, forming living sandbars, during their annual migratory stopover at the Rowe Audubon Sanctuary near Gibbon, NE. With water in the river fully appropriated for urban areas and agriculture, many wonder how long it will be until the river runs dry. Some 600,000 to 800,000 cranes use just a few miles of the river in central Nebraska–areas that have been been mechanically cleared of the woody vegetation that the birds can’t tolerate.

Thousands of sandhill cranes (Grus canadensis) roost on the Platte River during their annual migratory stopover at the Rowe Audubon Sanctuary near Gibbon, NE. With water in the river fully appropriated for urban areas and agriculture, many wonder how long it will be until the river runs dry. Some 600,000 to 800,000 cranes use just a few miles of the river in central Nebraska--areas that have been been mechanically cleared of the woody vegetation that the birds can't tolerate.

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Thousands of sandhill cranes (Grus canadensis) roost on the Platte River during their annual migratory stopover at the Rowe Audubon Sanctuary near Gibbon, NE. With water in the river fully appropriated for urban areas and agriculture, many wonder how long it will be until the river runs dry. Some 600,000 to 800,000 cranes use just a few miles of the river in central Nebraska–areas that have been been mechanically cleared of the woody vegetation that the birds can’t tolerate.

Thousands of sandhill cranes (Grus canadensis) roost on the Platte River during their annual migratory stopover at the Rowe Audubon Sanctuary near Gibbon, NE. With water in the river fully appropriated for urban areas and agriculture, many wonder how long it will be until the river runs dry. Some 600,000 to 800,000 cranes use just a few miles of the river in central Nebraska--areas that have been been mechanically cleared of the woody vegetation that the birds can't tolerate.

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Thousands of sandhill cranes (Grus canadensis) roost on the Platte River during their annual migratory stopover at the Rowe Audubon Sanctuary near Gibbon, NE. With water in the river fully appropriated for urban areas and agriculture, many wonder how long it will be until the river runs dry. Some 600,000 to 800,000 cranes use just a few miles of the river in central Nebraska–areas that have been been mechanically cleared of the woody vegetation that the birds can’t tolerate.

Sandhill cranes (Grus canadensis) in flight over the Platte River near the Rowe Audubon Sanctuary in Gibbon, Nebraska.

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Sandhill cranes (Grus canadensis) in flight over the Platte River near the Rowe Audubon Sanctuary in Gibbon, Nebraska.

Thousands of sandhill cranes (Grus canadensis) roost on the Platte River during their annual migratory stopover at the Rowe Audubon Sanctuary near Gibbon, NE. With water in the river fully appropriated for urban areas and agriculture, many wonder how long it will be until the river runs dry. Some 600,000 to 800,000 cranes use just a few miles of the river in central Nebraska--areas that have been been mechanically cleared of the woody vegetation that the birds can't tolerate.

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ANI082-00002

Thousands of sandhill cranes (Grus canadensis) roost on the Platte River during their annual migratory stopover at the Rowe Audubon Sanctuary near Gibbon, NE. With water in the river fully appropriated for urban areas and agriculture, many wonder how long it will be until the river runs dry. Some 600,000 to 800,000 cranes use just a few miles of the river in central Nebraska–areas that have been been mechanically cleared of the woody vegetation that the birds can’t tolerate.

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