Common Cranes
The Common Crane is a large, stately bird and a medium-sized crane at 40 to 52 inches long with a 71 to 96 inches wingspan. At rest, Cranes are rather stork-like but with big bushy tails, black wing plumes and grey bodies and even from a great distance the white stripe through the black head is noticeable. In flight, the long neck, held outstretched and slightly drooping makes them quite different from the herons and the grey plumage eliminates both of the storks. They fly in flocks in “V” formation making trumpeting calls.
Common Cranes breed in large areas of marsh and bog in northern parts of Europe and Asia and occur in winter and on passage in open, often agricultural, areas close to large wetlands used for roosting.
The global population is in the region of 210,000 to 250,000 with the vast majority nesting in Russia and Scandinavia. In the UK the Common Crane became extinct in the 17th century but a tiny population now breeds again in the Norfolk Broads and is slowly increasing.
Flocks of Cranes in late spring can be watched performing their “dancing” displays. This usually involves opening their wings and leaping vertically into the air with the legs dangling. Once one bird starts this, others will join in and the whole performance can even be initiated by a human pretending to be a dancing crane. Once the birds are paired off they are more likely to perform different displays involving stretching their necks vertically and trumpeting.
Common Cranes from Fennoscandia, the Baltic states and western Russia take the west European migration route to their wintering grounds. Over 100,000 birds use this flyway and over 70,000 winter in Spain (mainly Extremadura) with smaller numbers in south west France, Portugal and north Africa.
Laguna de Gallocanta in Aragon is a key staging post for Common Cranes both entering and leaving Spain and very large numbers use the lake and surrounding land to feed and rest for varying periods before continuing their journey. Up to 20,000 Common Cranes may be seen at Laguna de Gallocanta regularly and concentrations of up to 60,000 have been recorded, these being the largest gatherings anywhere in western Europe.
Date: 11th November 2009
Location: Laguna de Gallocanta, Aragon, Spain
Common Cranes breed in large areas of marsh and bog in northern parts of Europe and Asia and occur in winter and on passage in open, often agricultural, areas close to large wetlands used for roosting.
The global population is in the region of 210,000 to 250,000 with the vast majority nesting in Russia and Scandinavia. In the UK the Common Crane became extinct in the 17th century but a tiny population now breeds again in the Norfolk Broads and is slowly increasing.
Flocks of Cranes in late spring can be watched performing their “dancing” displays. This usually involves opening their wings and leaping vertically into the air with the legs dangling. Once one bird starts this, others will join in and the whole performance can even be initiated by a human pretending to be a dancing crane. Once the birds are paired off they are more likely to perform different displays involving stretching their necks vertically and trumpeting.
Common Cranes from Fennoscandia, the Baltic states and western Russia take the west European migration route to their wintering grounds. Over 100,000 birds use this flyway and over 70,000 winter in Spain (mainly Extremadura) with smaller numbers in south west France, Portugal and north Africa.
Laguna de Gallocanta in Aragon is a key staging post for Common Cranes both entering and leaving Spain and very large numbers use the lake and surrounding land to feed and rest for varying periods before continuing their journey. Up to 20,000 Common Cranes may be seen at Laguna de Gallocanta regularly and concentrations of up to 60,000 have been recorded, these being the largest gatherings anywhere in western Europe.
Date: 11th November 2009
Location: Laguna de Gallocanta, Aragon, Spain
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Also in: Aragon
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