Southwest Kansas Birding: Whooping Cranes and More!
Oct. 29 - Nov. 2, 2026
Birding Tour in Kansas
Search for migrating Whooping Cranes and experience amazing numbers of wintering Greater White-fronted Geese and staging Franklin’s Gulls!
Located on the western side of the North American Central Flyway, Cheyenne Bottoms and Quivira NWR provide critical habitat for migrating birds. This tour is timed to maximize our chances of seeing migrating Whooping Cranes that pass through the region en route to their wintering grounds on the Texas coast. At the same time, tens of thousands of Franklin’s Gulls use these wetlands as staging grounds on their journey to wintering grounds off the coasts of Chile and Peru. We’re also likely to see large numbers of Canada, Cackling, Snow and Greater White-fronted Geese with perhaps a Ross’s in the mix.
It's a great time to observe sparrows with LeConte’s, White-crowned, Vesper, Song, Field, American Tree, Lincoln’s and Swamp all likely. There will be loads of ducks, Sandhill Cranes and several shorebirds as well!
SW Kansas Tour
Dates: Oct. 29 - Nov. 2, 2026 (five days, four nights)
Cost: The total per person is $2,350 for a double occupancy room. If you would like a private room, the single supplement is $450.
$500 nonrefundable deposit to reserve your spot with the balance due on July 1, 2026.
Guide: Peter Burke
Highlights:
Experience peak fall migration at the largest wetland complex in North America.
Explore the 41,000-acre Cheyenne Bottoms and 22,000-acre Quivira NWR.
Tour is timed to maximize our chances of seeing critically endangered Whooping Cranes at they migrate from Canada to Texas.
See tens of thousands of Franklin’s Gulls staging for their journey to South America.
See hundreds of thousands of Greater White-fronted Geese and potentially four other species.
Enjoy the convenience of a small birding group staying in one hotel for all four nights and relatively short drives.
Learn More:
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Included:
Guided birding for five days.
Lodging at Holiday Inn Express for four nights.
Transportation throughout the tour including airport pickup on Oct. 24 and drop off on Oct. 28.
Meals beginning with dinner on Oct. 24 through lunch on Oct. 28.
Optics – I will have a Kowa 99mm scope available throughout the tour, and you are welcome to bring your own if you want.
NOT Included:
Flights to and from Witchita National Airport (ICT)
Lodging/Meals before or after the tour dates: Oct. 24-28, 2026.
Personal items such as alcohol with meals, laundry, etc.
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Thurs., Oct. 29 – Arrivals at Wichita National Airport (ICT)
Schedule flights to arrive in the afternoon. If there’s time, we may make a quick stop at Quivira to watch the sun set on our way to Great Bend. After checking into our hotel for the trip, we’ll enjoy dinner at a local restaurant and review the itinerary together.
Night at Holiday Inn Express, Great Bend
Fri., Oct. 30 – Sunrise at Cheyenne Bottoms!
Cheyenne Bottoms is a 41,000-acre wetland complex, making it the largest wetland area in the U.S. It serves as a critical stopover location for migrating birds, particularly Whooping Cranes, during their 2,500-mile journey from their breeding grounds in Wood Buffalo National Park in Canada to their wintering grounds at the Aransas NWR in Texas.
We’ll scan the many shallow wetland areas for cranes and other waders, waterfowl, shorebirds, gulls and terns. Expect large numbers of Greater White-fronted Geese and Franklin’s Gulls that peak at this time of year.
Night at Holiday Inn Express, Great Bend
Sat., Oct. 31 – Sunrise at Quivira NWR!
Unlike Cheyenne Bottoms, Quivira NWR has brackish water due to the vast underlying salt beds. These delicate, shallow salt marshes have unique plant life that varies due to water level. We’ll make stops at Little Salt Marsh and Big Salt Marsh and explore the sand dunes and woodlots that surround them.
Night at Holiday Inn Express, Great Bend
Sun., Nov. 1 – Quivira and Cheyenne Bottoms
Depending on conditions and reported sightings, we may visit one or both of these locations again today, or we could shift our focus to other habitats to look for Northern Shrike, Ferruginous Hawk, Prairie Falcon, Red-headed Woodpecker, sparrows, etc.
Night at Holiday Inn Express, Great Bend
Mon., Nov. 2 – Departures
After our final breakfast together, we’ll check out of our rooms and bird our way back to Wichita. Please try to book afternoon departures to give us time for a few final stops before we fly home!
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