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0493 Platte River Habitat During a 2-month period, primarily March through April, the cranes utilize three general habitat types within this river reach (Fish and Wildlife Service, 1976): (1) shallow, submerged, unvegetated sandbars in'broad stretches of river, (2) wet meadows, particularly those near roosting areas, and (3) corn and milo stubble and alfalfa fields as primary feeding sites. Afforded protection from predators, the cranes use the shallow sandbars almost exclusively for night roosting. Their preferred roosting h~~~ water less than. ~I ~nches deep, a broad channel approximatelY~,OO~~$et wide, and infrequent ~ ~~ . vegetation on the sandbars and iilands " ith, 1974). . C '.J ('.,~ During the morning hours, cr~ries l~~e their watery roosts for the wet /~ ) meadows. The Fish and~"'dlif~jervice has provided this description of wet meadows: IIlolitTari.'d,ar"ls which are relatively free of sizeable .......... I .-....," trees and where the so{~s usually without standing water during most of the growing season, but is periodically waterlogged within a few inches of the surface in scattered spots due primarily to a high water table. These areas are frequently undulating; therefore, are often basically habitat complexes. Vegetation commonly occurring may include grasses (excluding feed grains, grains, and/or sorghum crops), and/or sedges, and/or rushes, and/or small nonagricultural broadleaf palnts. This wet meadow classification includes ephemeral areas which are a gradation between the lowest areas and the more upland areas." Wet q meadows are the cranes' "marshal i ng areas,; II where they often group .