Photo: Christoph Moning / CC BY 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Red-crowned Crane
Grus japonensis
Red-crowned Crane (Grus japonensis) — Cranes & Rails of Europe & Northern Asia.
Found across 4 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Red-crowned Crane (Grus japonensis) is a member of the Gruidae family found in Europe & Northern Asia. Adults weigh 8.8 kg. The IUCN Red List lists it as Vulnerable.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Facing a high risk of extinction in the wild.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Gruiformes
- Family Gruidae Cranes
- Genus Grus
- Species japonensis
Quick facts
- Weight
- 8.8 kg
- Diet
- Omnivores
- Family
- Gruidae
- Order
- Gruiformes
- Habitat
- Wetland, lake & coast
How to identify
Similar birds
Not Evaluated
Not Evaluated
Endangered
Critically Endangered
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Red-crowned Crane is a omnivore — it takes a broad, omnivorous diet of both plant and animal foods.
Behaviour
A bird of wetlands, it forages mainly on the ground.
Migration
The Red-crowned Crane is migratory, making regular seasonal journeys between its breeding and non-breeding ranges.
The Red-crowned Crane (Grus japonensis) is a species of bird in the Gruidae family, part of the order Gruiformes. It is found across Europe & Northern Asia. Its distribution covers PAL se Siberia, ne China and Japan.
It is a very large bird. Adults weighs around 8.8 kg, with a wing length of about 61.6 cm and a tail of around 24.5 cm.
It is classified as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List and is a focus of conservation concern. Vulnerable species face a high risk of extinction in the wild if pressures continue.
The species has a mapped global range of roughly 738,000 km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Red-crowned Crane?
The Red-crowned Crane is a very large bird that weighs around 8.8 kg.
Where does the Red-crowned Crane live?
The Red-crowned Crane is found across Europe & Northern Asia with a range covering PAL se Siberia, ne China and Japan, where it is associated with wetlands, lakes and other open water.
What family does the Red-crowned Crane belong to?
The Red-crowned Crane (Grus japonensis) belongs to the Gruidae family, in the order Gruiformes.
What does the Red-crowned Crane eat?
The Red-crowned Crane is a omnivore — it takes a broad, omnivorous diet of both plant and animal foods.
Does the Red-crowned Crane migrate?
The Red-crowned Crane is migratory, making regular seasonal journeys between its breeding and non-breeding ranges.
Is the Red-crowned Crane endangered?
It is classified as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List and is a focus of conservation concern Vulnerable species face a high risk of extinction in the wild if pressures continue.
What sound does the Red-crowned Crane make?
1 real field recording of the Red-crowned Crane — including its duet — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Red-crowned Crane's range?
The Red-crowned Crane has a mapped global range of about 738,000 km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
Explore more birds
More in Gruidae
Not Evaluated
Not Evaluated
Not Evaluated
Vulnerable
Not Evaluated
Endangered
More in Cranes & Rails
Least Concern
Vulnerable
Extinct
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern