bird · GBIF taxon 2474950
Common Crane
Grus grusAlso known as Eurasian Crane, Grey Crane
Common Cranes are majestic, slate-grey birds famous for their spectacular, leaping courtship dances and resonant, bugle-like calls that carry for miles across open wetlands. They migrate in striking V-formations, traveling thousands of miles between northern European breeding grounds and southern wintering sites. These highly social birds form lifelong monogamous pairs, raising their chicks in secluded bogs and wet meadows.
MigratoryWetlandMonogamous
Licensed referenceAndreas Trepte / CC BY-SA 2.5 · cc-by-sa
- diet
- Omnivorous, feeding on seeds, grain, roots, insects, frogs, and small rodents.
- family
- Gruidae
- threats
- Habitat loss, wetland drainage, collision with power lines, and agricultural intensification.
- life Span
- 15 to 30 years in the wild
LC
Capable of delivering a powerful peck if cornered or injured; observe from a respectful distance.
Highly sensitive to human disturbance during the nesting season, which can cause them to abandon their eggs.
Stay on designated paths, avoid approaching nesting wetlands, and never use drones near active breeding sites.- Listen for bugling: Use their loud, trumpeting calls to locate flocks flying overhead or feeding in fields.
- Keep your distance: Use binoculars or a spotting scope to watch their dances without disrupting them.
- Visit roosts at dusk: Watch from designated blinds as thousands gather in shallow water to sleep safely.