DECATUR — Over 14,000 sandhill cranes, along with several pairs of whooping cranes, spend the winter each year at Wheeler National Wildlife Refuge. In celebration of these long-legged and long-necked birds, Wheeler Wildlife Refuge Association hosts a two-day event filled with nature walks, concerts and special programs for experienced birders and anyone who would like to learn more about birding and other wildlife that call the Refuge home.

Set for Jan. 13-14, Festival of the Cranes takes place at Wheeler National Wildlife Refuge with the popular live raptor presentations to be held at the Princess Theater. Now in its fifth year, Festival of the Cranes has become a popular weekend activity for families near and far.

New this year is a change in venue for one of the more crowd-favorite activities. Due to the popularity of the raptor presentations and the limited seating and parking at the Refuge’s visitor center, the three Auburn University Southeastern Raptor Center presentations will take place at the historic Princess Theater in downtown Decatur.

The new location will ensure everyone will have the opportunity to enjoy the wonderful entertaining and educational program. To make it even more convenient to enjoy all the events at Festival of the Cranes, a shuttle will be available to take festival goers to and from the Wheeler Visitor Center to the Princess Theater and other areas of historic downtown Decatur for a nominal fee.

Show times are set for 11 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 13, and 1:30 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 14, and admission is free.

Festival of the Cranes kicks off bright and early at 6:30 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 13, with a breakfast in the Visitor Center classroom. Following breakfast, Dwight Cooley, former refuge manager, will lead an early morning birding walk to see cranes and other waterfowl arrive in the fields to begin their day of feeding and loafing.

Cost is $5 per person with proceeds benefiting future refuge programs. Participants are encouraged to wear comfortable walking shoes and to bring binoculars and a camera.

A variety of activities and educational opportunities are lined up throughout the day at the Refuge. At 8 a.m., members of the Alabama Ornithological Society and Tennessee Valley Audubon Society will host Birding 101, a beginner course in birding. Participants are asked to meet at the Visitor Center Information Desk for a walk along the grounds of the Visitor Center.

A photography workshop with David Akoubian follows at 9 a.m. in the auditorium.

Acclaimed author, storyteller and naturalist Brian “Fox” Ellis will present “Adventures with John James Audubon” at 10:30 a.m. and lead a nature hike at 3 p.m.

Flutist Michael Graham Allen will perform a free concert at 1 p.m. in the auditorium. Allen is the founder, principal flutist and composer of the band Coyote Oldman. An early researcher and builder of ancient flutes of North America, he has been a professional flute maker since the mid-1970s.

Additional activities on Saturday include special activities for children to take part in from 9–10:30 a.m. and 1:30–3 p.m. From 11 a.m.–1 p.m., there will be a pizza lunch with proceeds benefiting the Wheeler Wildlife Refuge Association.

The enclosed Wildlife Observation Building offers views of thousands of sandhill cranes, along with whooping cranes, ducks, geese, raptors and maybe a bald eagle. There are bleachers and spotting scopes available along with volunteers and staff members on hand to answer questions.

On Sunday, Jan. 14, members of the Alabama Ornithological Society and Tennessee Valley Audubon Society will host Birding 101 at 8 a.m. Participants are asked to meet at the Visitor Center Information Desk for a walk along the grounds of the Visitor Center.

At 9 a.m., festival goers can choose from a photography workshop hosted by David Akoubian in the classroom or the “Comic Mis-Adventures of Lewis and Clark” with Brian “Fox” Ellis as Meriwether Lewis in the Auditorium.

Flutist Michael Graham Allen will perform another free concert at 11 a.m. in the auditorium.

At 1:30 p.m., storyteller and author Brian “Fox” Ellis steps into the shoes of Prince Maximilian of Wied-Neuwied, allowing the audience to step back in time. Blending history, science, art and cultural anthropology, the Prince gives us a unique view of America as he saw it in the early 1830s.

Much of the text for this performance comes directly from his journals.

Additional fun on Sunday includes special activities for children in the classroom from 1:30–3 p.m.

The Wheeler National Wildlife Refuge Visitor Center is located at 3121 Visitor Center Road, Decatur. For more information on the Festival of the Cranes, visit https://www.fws.gov/refuge/wheeler/ or call Teresa Adams, supervisory ranger for Wheeler National Wildlife Refuge, at 256-350-6639. Information is also available through Decatur-Morgan County Tourism at 256-350-2028 or 800-232-5449.