Tens of thousands of wings. One working landscape. California rice fields act as surrogate wetlands for birds across the #PacificFlyway. Maintaining 470K–500K acres of rice is essential to meet conservation goals for ducks and shorebirds.

Last week, millions of fish fry were added to winter-flooded rice fields in California. Why it matters: decomposed rice straw enriches the water, jump-starting food sources that young fish rely on. This is how working lands do more.

Did you know that NorCal floodplains support 80% of the Pacific Flyway's total duck & goose populations? 🦆🪿 The #FloodplainForward Coalition is dedicated to sustainable solutions that restore floodplains & support wildlife & ag: norcalwater.org/floodplain-f... #FloodplainFriday

Water returns after harvest, and so do the birds. Tundra swans and geese using California rice fields as part of a 500,000 acre winter habitat network. #Birds #Agriculture #WorkingLands

A rice field after harvest, alive with snow geese. This is what winter flooding looks like on working farmland.

At peak winter, Greater Sandhill Cranes depend on ~43,000 acres of flooded rice for roosting habitat in California.

A sky full of snow geese over California rice. Proof that working lands and wildlife can thrive together.

Snow geese are arriving by the tens of thousands right now. Flooded rice fields offer critical habitat during their long journey south. #PacificFlyway

Natural wetlands in California have been reduced by more than 90 percent. Winter-flooded rice fields help fill that gap by providing shallow water and foraging habitat when birds need it most. calricewaterbirds.org

Harvest is winding down and fields are starting to flood. Each fall, growers help shift the landscape from harvest to habitat. More than 300,000 acres of flooded rice fields will support birds through the winter, all within a rice footprint that spans nearly 500,000 acres.

What’s good for birds is good often good for fish. Partnerships like the Floodplain Forward Coalition are reconnecting rice fields to rivers - helping young salmon grow strong before heading to the Pacific. 🐟 @comstocksmag.bsky.social @comstocks.bsky.social comstocksmag.com/longreads/co...

CA water policy is often defined by conflict. But a new @comstocksmag.bsky.social story shows what happens when farmers, scientists & environmentalists choose cooperation instead. 🌾🐟 See how the Floodplain Forward Coalition is helping fish & farms thrive: www.comstocksmag.com/longreads/co...

The Causeway commute looks a little different this time of year. 🚗🚜 Harvest season is in full swing. Soon these fields will trade tractors for waterfowl migrating along the #PacificFlyway. #CARice

Rice harvest is underway across the Sacramento Valley. From golden fields to grain bins, here’s how California rice makes its journey from field to table. (🧵)

It's harvest time in California's rice growing season. Combines cut the rice and separate the grains, all in one go. Farmers work fast to yield nearly 8,500 lbs. of rice per acre before the rain arrives!

It’s not all waterfowl in California rice fields. 🌾🐢 The Western Pond Turtle — the state’s only remaining freshwater turtle — is finding refuge here too.

Recess reading: new @ucdaviswater.bsky.social overview of the Conservation Footprint—how ~½-million acres of rice support birds, fish & snakes. 🌾📘 #CARice #CALeg calrice.org/rice-footprint

Big news for California agriculture: $2.2M in new grants will expand drone workforce training —preparing the next generation of ag tech leaders & helping growers across the state adopt climate-smart tools. news.ucsc.edu/2025/09/ducc...

The @ucdaviswater.bsky.social has been instrumental in researching and developing programs that transform ricelands into working wetlands benefitting wildlife, communities, and consumers. UCs are a vital asset for CA agriculture. www.universityofcalifornia.edu/feeding-amer...

⏱️August in California rice fields 🌾 "Heading" season. This is when the grain head pushes out of the stem, forming flowers. Those green clusters are the flowers that become rice kernels. These weeks decide the harvest. #CARice

Winter-flooding 25k acres produced ~147,500 lbs of salmon food—fuel for millions of young Chinook. Scaling works. 🌾➡️🐟 #FishFood norcalwater.org/2025/02/20/r...

The Korean burger chain @lotteria0burger.bsky.social just opened its first US location in Fullerton, CA. Their menu features a Bibim Rice Burger?!? We will see you soon. 🤤 asianews.network/k-burgers-hi...

California’s ~500k rice acres double as pop-up wetlands, feeding 230+ species on the #PacificFlyway every winter. 🌾➡️🦆 #CARice #WorkingWetlands

45 seconds, one field, one year at McKenzie Farms: In spring, open the ground & precision-level; add 5 inches of water; grow through spring–summer; harvest in fall; welcome winter habitat for the Pacific Flyway. 🌾🦆

Working farms = working wetlands. 👀🌾 CA Ricelands are critical to providing habitat for: ✅Black Tern - 473K ac ✅Sandhill Crane - 43K ac ✅Giant Garter Snake - 80K ac ✅Shorebirds - 374K ac ✅Ducks & geese: 500K ac Dive into the numbers 👇 ucanr.edu/blog/uc-rice...

Fresh read on UC Rice Blog: a recap of our Conservation Footprint shows ≈ 470k-500k acres of rice is needed to support conservation goals for waterfowl, shorebirds, threatened cranes, and Giant Garter Snakes. @ucanr.edu @pointblue.bsky.social @ucdaviswater.bsky.social ucanr.edu/blog/uc-rice...

When 95 % of the Valley’s wetlands disappeared, California rice fields stepped in. Today ≈ 80,000 acres of ricelands keep the federally‑threatened #GiantGarterSnake hunting, hiding and thriving. 🌾➡️🐍 www.youtube.com/watch?v=M22s...

This winter 25,000 acres of California ricelands produced 147,500 lbs of zooplankton—enough to help 3.5 million young Chinook double their weight before the ocean run. 🌾➡️🐟 norcalwater.org/2025/02/20/r... #FishFood #ICYMI #CAWater

Research shows it would take over 426,000 acres of ricelands to sustain Black Terns above 1,000 individuals — the threshold for long-term survival. In 2023, rice fields supported more than 3,200. Rice is helping keep #BlackTern flying. #ItsInOurNature #BirdsofBlueSky

Black Terns have lost more than 90% of their historic nesting habitat in California’s Central Valley. Today, rice fields provide nearly all the remaining breeding habitat for this species of special concern. #ItsInOurNature #BlackTern #CAWildlife #BirdsofBlueSky

Reviving floodplains like Yolo Bypass boosts natural growth and resilience—for rice crops and threatened Chinook salmon. Healthier floodplains mean stronger harvests and healthier fish populations. 🌱🐟 fishbio.com/fighting-for...

For 10 years, BirdReturns has shown what’s possible when rice growers and conservationists work together. 180K+ acres of habitat have supported millions of migrating birds. A win for working lands and wildlife. @audubon.org @pointblue.bsky.social @nature.org audubon.org/california/p...

Greater Sandhill Cranes are among the oldest bird species alive today, with North American fossil records dating back 2.5m years. In the absence of historic wetlands, they rely on California’s Sacramento Valley rice fields for essential winter roosting and feeding grounds. #Conservation #Birding

The Greater Sandhill Crane can stand 5 feet tall with a 7 foot wingspan. A threatened species in California, the GSC relies on over 43k acres of flooded rice to serve as roosting habitat. #Conservation #GreaterSandhillCrane #BirdsOfBluesky

🌾 Brita Lundberg left CA's rice fields for NYC publishing—but family roots called her back. Now she's sharing Lundberg Farms' legacy of organic farming, regenerative practices, and wildlife conservation. A great CA rice story. Read more: comstocksmag.com/web-only/new... #FamilyFarming

Rice seeds take quite a ride before landing in Sutter County rice lands.

Ever wonder how rice fields are planted? It starts with a plane, a steady hand, and a whole lot of precision. 🌾✈️ #AerialSeeding

A siege of Sandhill Cranes in Glenn County rice country. #BlueSkyMonday

California's Central Valley is a vital wintering ground for millions of waterfowl along the #PacificFlyway. Flooded rice fields provide critical foraging habitat for waterfowl during winter.

California rice provides more than half of the food energy supply needed to support the large, diverse community of shorebirds in the non-breeding season. A recent @ucdavis.bsky.social report indicates ~374k acres of ricelands are needed to support nonbreeding shorebird conservation goals.

Nearly 100% of Black Tern breeding in the Central Valley occurs in rice fields, requiring >426k acres to maintain viable populations. Without rice, we risk local extinction of this Species of Special Concern. #BirdSky

California rice is where farming meets fish. Flooded rice fields dramatically boost zooplankton, providing a crucial food source for young salmon. It's a win-win! 🐟🌾 #FarmFish #RicelandEcosystem

Over 90% of the Central Valley’s wetlands have been lost, and winter-flooded rice fields now serve as surrogate wetlands. California rice is critical habitat infrastructure that underpins state and federal conservation goals.

With the draining and loss of much historical wetland habitat, flooded rice now provides critical surrogate habitat for the protected Giant Garter Snake. We are proud to co-sponsor SB 765 with @savethesnakes.org to recognize the GGS as the official state snake! www.agri-pulse.com/articles/227...

With the draining and loss of much of California's historical wetland habitat, flooded rice now provides critical surrogate habitat for the protected Giant Gartersnake. 80K acres of flooded rice is needed to support the species' recovery strategy.

This is the White-faced Ibis, a long-legged wader that relies on shallow wetlands/flooded rice fields for food and nesting. With their iridescent feathers and striking red eyes, they’re 1 of 230 species supported by rice fields acting as surrogate wetlands along the #PacificFlyway. #Birdsofbluesky

A little rice dog joy to lift your #TaxDay2025 spirits.

How many acres of ricelands are needed to support wildlife in CA? ✅ 30K for native fish ✅ 43K for sandhill cranes ✅ 80K for giant garter snakes ✅ 373.5K of winter-flooded rice for shorebirds ✅ 473K of planted rice for black terns & breeding shorebirds ✅ 500K for wintering ducks

Fact: The Greater Sandhill Crane is threatened in California. Also fact: Flooded rice fields in the Sacramento Valley provide exactly the habitat they need. California rice = crucial habitat. #ConservationInAction #CArice #SandhillCranes

Important read from the incredible research team that has worked to understand how California's ricelands can be used to support conservation plans for dozens of species. 👇