Chilling moment nature 'predicts' Hurricane Milton as cranes flock to Florida streets

Footage of cranes congregating in various Florida neighborhoods has surfaced online, with locals suggesting they were sounding an "alarm" before Hurricane Milton 's arrival.

The hurricane hit the west coast of the Sunshine State as a category 3 storm at 9.30pm local time on Wednesday, October 8 (1:30am on October 9, GMT), causing chaos in Siesta Key and Tampa Bay.

However, before the calamity occurred, groups of cranes – birds recognized by their long legs and necks – took to the streets to sound their warning. TikTok user Emily Autumn (@emilyautumnnn) posted a video from the roads around her home, featuring several birds clucking under a foreboding sky.

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"I think they're warning us," she captioned the clip, which has been viewed over 4.5 million times. "They never stand in groups actually, they're surely telling you something's coming and you should watch out," one person commented.

"This is so eerie," another added. "It feels like a scene from an apocalyptic movie where premonitions are being shown."

A third TikTok user explained: "They call together to amplify the sound, they are 100% warning and calling to other sandhill cranes to migrate. And because they have been around for so long, the other species that follow."

Meanwhile, a fourth person chimed in: "The videos of the birds got me thinking if these birds can put aside their nature of being solo birds in order to survive, how come humanity's survival instinct hasn't kicked in yet? "

Similar footage made its way to X, shared by BlueGreen Planet (@De_le_Vega). "Just hours before Hurricane Milton is set to strike Florida, residents in several neighborhoods have witnessed an eerie spectacle of groups of Sandhill cranes gathering and emitting sharp, urgent calls, as if signaling the need to flee," they wrote.

The video showed three cranes slowly making their way down the street, issuing their cry. "Even the birds are warning us to evacuate," a second caption read.

"Birds are the only dinosaurs that survived when the meteor hit," one X user responded. "They clearly know when it's time to get the hell out of a particular place."

"100% correct Birds (and most animals) know exactly what will happen and when it will happen," replied another. "The smartest thing to do is to listen to what nature tells you to do."

However, not everyone online was convinced, as one person countered: "Hate to be that person (no I don't) but this is the normal call of the Sandhill Crane. They do this literally all the time. Has nothing to do with a hurricane."

Police in Florida's St. Lucie County, meanwhile, have reported "multiple fatalities" after a tornado swept through the region. Sheriff Keith Pearson made a somber announcement that several lives were tragically lost at the Spanish Lakes Country Club, an area predominantly populated by the elderly. The precise number of victims is currently unknown.

In a related natural observation, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission noted that resident sandhill cranes are typically observed in small groups or pairs. However, during November and December, the population spikes as large flocks of northern cranes arrive, significantly increasing their numbers in the state before departing in March and April.

It was pointed out that the Florida sandhill cranes are a non-migratory breed that makes their homes in the state's freshwater ponds and marshes.