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Common Crane

Grus grus

Not yet photographed by the community

Huge grey bird; now re-establishing as a UK breeder.

Species Profile

Amber List (passage migrant and winter visitor); breeding population of High Conservation Concern due to rarity and recovery efforts.

Lifespan: 20–40 years in the wild
Size & Weight: 100–130 cm tall, wingspan 180–240 cm; 4–6 kg
Habitat: Wetlands including fens, marshes, reed beds, and shallow lakes with open water and tall vegetation for nesting.
UK Distribution: Rare winter visitor and passage migrant; small breeding population re-established in Norfolk and East Anglia since the 1980s after centuries of absence. Numbers increasing.
Diet: Omnivorous, feeding on aquatic plants, seeds, roots, insects, frogs, small fish, and small mammals.
Prey: Frogs, small fish, aquatic invertebrates, small mammals
Predators: Eggs and chicks vulnerable to foxes, corvids, and raptors; adults largely avoid predation due to size and vigilance.
Mating Season: March to June
Breeding: Clutch of 1–3 eggs (usually 2), incubation period 28–31 days, typically one brood per season. Chicks fledge at 60–65 days.
Behaviour: Highly social and vocal, with distinctive loud trumpeting calls. Monogamous and perform elaborate synchronized dancing displays during pair bonding. Migrate in V-formation and are very wary of disturbance.

Did You Know?

•Common Cranes became extinct as UK breeders around 1600 due to wetland drainage and hunting, but have naturally recolonized East Anglia since the 1980s.
•Their long legs allow them to wade through deep water and marshes while foraging.
•Dancing displays involve running, jumping, bowing, and tossing grass or sticks, performed by both sexes.
•Chicks can walk and feed independently within hours of hatching but remain with parents for nearly a year.
•The species is considered a symbol of wetland health and is a flagship species for fen conservation in the UK.

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