Common crane

Facts

IUCN LEAST CONCERN (LC)

Facts about this animal

The common crane is a medium-sized crane species. Males are about 115 cm long, have a wing span of 180-200 cm and weigh about 5-6 kg. Females are slightly smaller.

The plumage is mainly grey with a cloak of loose feathers falling over tail. The head is darker grey, the upper neck marked by a white band from the eye to the upper back. The flight feathers are black.

Did you know?
that the main threat to Common Cranes is habitat loss and degradation which has occurred throughout their range? The principal causes are drainage, dams, changes in agricultural practice, development and other human activities.

Factsheet
Class	AVES
Order	GRUIFORMES
Suborder	GRUES
Family	GRUIDAE
Name (Scientific)	Grus grus
Name (English)	Common crane
Name (French)	Grue cendrée
Name (German)	Grauer Kranich
Name (Spanish)	Grulla común
Local names	Croatian, Serbian: Sivi zdral Czech: Jerab popelavý Danish, Norwegisn: Trane Dutch: Kraanvogel Estonian: Sookurg Finnish: Kurki Greek: Geranós Hungarian: Daru Italian: Gru Latvian: Dzerve Lithuanian: Pilkoji gerve Polish: Zuraw Portuguese: Grou-comum Romanian: Cocorul-mare Romansh: Gru grisch Slovakian: Zeriav popolavý Slovenian: Zerjav Swedish: Trana
CITES Status	Appendix II
CMS Status	Appendix II

Photo Copyright by
Marek Szczepanek

Distribution

Distribution
Range	The common crane is widely distributed in the Old World and occurs in the following countries either as breeding bird or as regular visitor: Africa: Algeria, Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Libya, Morocco, Sudan, Tunisia Asia: Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, China, India, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Korea DPR, Korea Rep, Mongolia, Myanmar, Nepal Lao PDR, Lebanon, Pakistan, Palestine, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Viet Nam, Yemen Europe: Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan Belarus, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia former Yug. Rep., Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russian Federation, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, Ukraine, United Kingdom As an occasional visitor the species may be encountered in many more countries, including in eastern Canada, and the United States
Habitat	Tundra, open forest, shrubland, steppe and wetlands.
Wild population	The global population isestimated to be 270,000 individuals by Wetlands International (2002).
Zoo population	125 birds, mostly of the nominate subspecies reported to ISIS (2007).

In the Zoo

How this animal should be transported

For air transport, Container Note 17 of the IATA Live Animals Regulations should be followed.

Find this animal on ZooLex

Photo Copyright by
J. M. Garg

Why do zoos keep this animal

The common crane is not a threatened species. Zoos keep it primarily for educational reasons and as an ambassador species for wetland conservation.

How this animal should be kept

During the breeding season, adult common cranes must be kept in pairs to prevent aggression mortality. During the winter half year keeping in larger groups may be possible. Subadults up to 3 years of age may be kept in bacheloir groups.

An outdoor enclosure or aviary of at least 300 m² for each pair is required. Ideally, the enclosure should include grass-covered soil planted with sedge grasses and a few low bushes or trees. A shallow pool is advisable for enrichment. Aviaries must be at least 3 m high and should be flight netted to prevent escape and contact with wild birds. Pinioning should be avoided as this may result in decreased reproductive capability. In cold and temperate climates a frost-free indoor enclosure of at least 10 m² is recommended but not absolutely necessary.

White-naped cranes should be fed a formulated crane diet, or a balanced diet may be designed using plant material and grain mixes to which a moderate amount of minced meat, insects or small vertebrates such as fish, mice, or day-old chicks have been added.

For extensive husbandry and breeding guidelines see Cranes: Their Biology, Husbandry, and Conservation at http://www.pwrc.usgs.gov/resshow/gee/cranbook/cranebook.htm