The Red-crowned Crane (Japanese Crane) is one of the rarest cranes in the world. It is a large, regal bird with a snow-white body, black wings and neck, and a striking red “crown” — a patch of bare skin on the head that becomes brighter during the mating season. It is among the tallest and heaviest cranes, standing 150–158 cm tall with a wingspan of 220–250 cm. In the cultures of Japan, China and Korea, it symbolises happiness, longevity and fidelity, and is revered as a sacred bird.
Key facts
Lifestyle Red-crowned cranes nest and feed in marshes with deep water — unusual among cranes, most of which prefer shallow water. Their diet is varied, including insects, fish, amphibians, small mammals, reeds, rice, grasses and corn — with animal prey dominating in summer and plant matter in winter. Red-crowned cranes form lifelong monogamous pairs and are famous for their spectacular courtship dances, during which they leap synchronously, spread their wings and call loudly. Migratory populations breed in south-eastern and north-eastern China, wintering in China and Korea. A non-migratory population remains year-round on Hokkaido, Japan.
Conservation status Researchers estimate that only approximately 2,000–2,700 red-crowned cranes remain in the wild. The main threats are wetland drainage, conversion of floodplain meadows to farmland, disturbance during nesting, and water pollution. The species is legally protected across all range countries and is the subject of active international conservation programmes.
Distribution The range covers the Amur River basin in eastern Russia and adjacent parts of China in summer; in winter, the birds move to saltwater and freshwater marshes in China, Japan and the Korean Peninsula. A resident population lives year-round on the island of Hokkaido.
