Physical Description

The red-crowned crane is adorned with snow-white primary feathers and a distinctive black face and neck. White feathers stretch from behind the eyes to the nape, while a red patch crowns its head, giving the species its name.

Dear Lykkers, the body is predominantly white except for the black secondary and tertiary feathers. The crane's bill is deep green and sharply angular, designed for spearing prey. Males and females share the same coloration, with males being slightly larger.

Juvenile cranes display a mix of white, tawny, cinnamon brown, and gray plumage. The neck collar appears gray to coffee brown, secondary feathers are dull black and brown, and the crown and forehead feature gray and tawny feathers. Their legs and bills resemble grown cranes but are lighter in color. Juvenile primary feathers are white, tipped with black. At two years of age, these feathers are replaced with all-white plumage.

Common CRANE bird dance and sounds

Video by Wildlife World

Size

The red-crowned crane ranks among the largest cranes globally, standing 158 centimeters (5 feet) tall. It boasts a wingspan of up to 2.5 meters (8 feet) and weighs between 7 to 15 kilograms (15 to 26 pounds).

Native Habitat

Red-crowned cranes are highly aquatic, inhabiting northeast China, Mongolia, and eastern Japan. They thrive in deep water marshes with standing, dead vegetation. These cranes forage in deeper water than other species and often feed on pasturelands and cultivated fields.

In winter, these cranes frequent coastal salt marshes, rivers, freshwater marshes, rice paddies, and tidal flats in regions like the Yellow River delta and Jiangsu province in China, as well as the Korean Demilitarized Zone. Unlike their migratory counterparts, the Japanese population is non-migratory.

Lifespan

The lifespan of red-crowned cranes in the wild is not well documented. However, in managed care, their median age is approximately 15.1 years.

Communication

Red-crowned cranes produce high-pitched, penetrating calls characterized by a loud, rattling "kar-r-r-o-o-o," with numerous variations.

Food/Eating Habits

Diet in the wild

These omnivorous birds forage in marshes, consuming a variety of invertebrates, fish, amphibians, rodents, reeds, grasses, and berries.

Winter feeding

In winter, they frequent rice fields to feed on rice. Japanese populations are often fed corn at artificial feeding stations.

Managed care diet

Cranes in managed care are provided with crane pellets, mealworms, earthworms, crickets, and small fish.

Social Structure

Red-crowned cranes are communal, often living in flocks. Family groups form the largest social units within these flocks.

Reproduction and Development

Breeding habits

Red-crowned cranes are predominantly monogamous. Nests are constructed in shallow water or wet ground.

Eggs and incubation

Females typically lay two eggs, with both parents sharing incubation duties for 29 to 34 days.

Role of the male

The male crane primarily defends the nest from potential threats.

Chick development

Chicks fledge at about 95 days old and begin flying by autumn. Juvenile cranes accompany their parents in wetland foraging until the next breeding season, when they leave the family unit.