How do sandhill cranes change their diet between northern nesting grounds and southern wintering grounds?

Sandhill cranes are omnivorous birds that adjust their diet based on their seasonal location. While their general diet consists of a wide variety of animal matter—including insects, lizards, snakes, frogs, and small rodents—they incorporate different plant materials depending on the environment.12

On their northern nesting grounds in the tundra, sandhill cranes supplement their primary animal-based diet with berries and grass. In contrast, when they migrate to their southern wintering grounds, they shift their foraging habits to glean plant material from agricultural areas, specifically feeding on remnants found in old potato and grain fields.1