The crane | Facts & Information

The crane (Grus grus) is a migratory bird with a sharp beak, neck and long legs, gray feathers and a red spot on the head. It belongs to the family "Gruidae", and includes about 18 species that live in temperate and tropical regions except South America.

In Romania live two species, the large crane (Grus grus) which is 114 cm tall and nests in the Danube delta and the small crane (Anthrpodes virgo), which reaches 96 cm high and can be seen rarely because it is only in passing, nesting in Central Asia and wintering in the Nile delta.

It is also known as Crane.

Crane Feed

These majestic birds are omnivores and feed on plants, vertebrates (fish, rodents, frogs and snakes) and invertebrates (mollusks, insects and crustaceans). The basic food consists of insects, some seeds, worms and mollusks.

Crane Features

Cranes are birds that live in open fields, preferring to stay near waters and in swampy lands. They have long necks and legs, and their beak is sharp, helping to pick seeds and insects – from the ground, or even plants and living things – from the water.

The crane is part of a large family of birds, whose sizes are very different: some can be held in the palm of your hand, others are almost the size of a tall man…

Despite these differences in stature, all crane relatives share the same internal characteristics (for example, The Shape of the skeleton), which demonstrates that they are closely related. There are about 200 such species, some of which are endangered.

Cranes occupy a special place in people's imagination and folklore. They have several traits that resemble humans: they are tall beings, vocalize, are very sociable and have a monogamous lifestyle. In China, South Africa and Uganda, Cranes are national symbols. In East Asia, they symbolize long life, happiness, fidelity in marriage and love.

The largest species of Crane is Grus antigone, which lives in northern Pakistan, India, Nepal, Southeast Asia and Queensland, Australia. Indian cranes can reach a height of 200 cm, and the distance between their wings can reach 250 cm, being the tallest flying.

Characteristic of cranes is the shape of the trachea that penetrates to the sternum bone, under the pectoral muscles, forming loops that explain the loud cries of the cranes.

They are gregarious animals, forming large cards. When the young reach sexual maturity, in the second or third year of life, they search for their mate through a ritual that can last several days. The male and female "dance" and call each other.

Everything is like a little scene, in which birds fly, spread their wings, throw sticks or tufts of grass, wave their wings and nod. The "dance" is accompanied by specific vocalizations. When the ritual reaches its climax, the two birds make complex sounds in unison. The same happens when they mate and when they reproduce. Most couples stay together for life.

Crane Breeding

Cranes live in groups and migrate very long distances to mate. They Winter in southern Europe, Asia or Northern Africa, but come to Europe and Asia in the spring to breed. Like other related breeds, the great crane chooses its mate for life, with which it has a very spectacular mating ritual: the male and female walk proudly, bow and then make a jump in the air.

Also, the sounds of the cranes are impressive: they are extended (like the trumpet) and can be heard from two kilometers away.

The nest built by cranes is shaped like a mound "lined" with vegetation (especially leaves of some plants that live near the waters). The female usually lays two eggs, which will be hatched – by both parents – for 28 to 31 days.

After hatching from the egg, the cub is taken into care by the male, who defends it against dangers of all kinds. After 65-70 days, when the chick starts to fly, the risk of being attacked and caught decreases greatly.

The female and the male help each other, protect and feed the chicks together, and when they migrate, they sit on either side of the chicks, which fly in the middle. When one of the birds is sick, the pair stays by his side, even if the other birds in the card migrate.

The Japanese crane is a rare species, with around 2,000 specimens. The rarest species is the American Crane. There are only 300 living in the wild and another 150 cranes kept in captivity, but their numbers are increasing, thanks to programs aimed at saving the species. Of the 15 crane species, 10 are endangered.