Red-crowned cranes are one of the largest of the world’s 15 crane species. Adults can be five feet tall with an eight-foot wingspan. They can weigh up to 25 pounds.

What They Eat:

Red-crowned cranes eat fish, amphibians, rodents, invertebrates, reeds, grasses, seeds, and other plant parts. In winter, some flocks rely on people for supplemental feeding of rice and grain.

Where They Live:

Red-crowned cranes depend on large wetlands in East Asia. Migratory populations breed in southeast Russia and northeast China, wintering in China and Korea. There is a non-migratory population in northern Japan.

What They Do:

These cranes are named after the prominent red patch of bare skin on top of their head. The red intensifies when they are excited or engaged in social behavior.

How They’re Doing:

Although red-crowned cranes are protected throughout their range, the number of adult birds appears to be decreasing. Habitat loss and wetland conversion for human use are the greatest threats to their survival.

• The red-crowned cranes at the Minnesota Zoo are subadults so they don’t have red on their heads and adult plumage yet. These changes happen gradually as the birds mature. By the time they are two years old, red-crowned cranes usually look like typical adults.
• Red-crowned cranes’ striking calls play roles in communication, bonding, and defense. The crane’s extra-long windpipe coils in its chest, allowing vocalizations to carry over long distances.
• These birds have dramatic courtship dances that involve synchronized calling, bowing, leaping, wing-flapping, and tossing objects like grass or sticks into the air.
• Pair dancing peaks during the breeding season but cranes of all ages dance year-round, possibly for social bonding or play.
• Breeding pairs of red-crowned cranes are territorial. A bonded pair will often stay together for years, sharing in nest building, egg incubation, and chick-rearing duties.
• Nests are constructed of grass and reeds in freshwater marshes. Red-crowned cranes tend to prefer deeper water than other crane species and will only nest in areas with standing vegetation.
• Chicks learn migration routes when the family flies to wintering areas. By the time they are 8 or 9 months old, chicks are independent of their parents.
• During the winter, red-crowned cranes gather in flocks along coastal mudflats and riverways. When roosting at night, each bird stands just outside the reach of their neighbor’s peck!
• Thanks to their fascinating behaviors, these birds are beloved across much of East Asia.

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