Meghan Hertel, Director of Land and Water Conservation, with Audubon California says,“Just like people, birds need clean water to drink, grow food and refuel.” However, she continued “over the last 200 years we’ve basically lost all of our natural wetlands except for a few pockets, and Pixley is one of them. This means that places like Pixley are of outsized importance for the overall wildlife population they support.”

https://thesungazette.com/article/ivanhoe-sol/2020/11/25/pixley-national-wildlife-refuge-a-wintertime-treasure/

"We host an annual event every November that is dedicated to the Sandhill Cranes that uses the Refuge during the winter months," said Miguel Jimenez, manager of the Pixley National Wildlife Refuge. "Thousands of cranes come from Alaska and it's a neat experience to watch them fly onto the refuge at sunset."

http://www.visaliatimesdelta.com/story/sports/outdoors/pathstopeaks/2017/10/20/witness-return-cranes/780975001/