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Red-crowned Crane

Common Name Red-crowned CraneBirdlife International
Species name Grus japonensisBirdlife International
Family Gruidae
Genus  
Local Name
Country Appearance Local name
Brunei Darussalam    
Cambodia    
China    
Indonesia    
Japan Yes タンチョウ
Lao PDR    
Malaysia    
Mongolia    
Myanmar    
Philippines    
Republic of Korea    
Singapore    
Thailand    
Vietnam    

 

Visual and Sound Image

Photos

Red-crowned Crane

Videos

 

Sounds

 

Identification

150 cm. Very large, predominantly white crane. Black face and neck, but with white patch extending from behind eye to nape. Red crown. White primaries and black secondaries and tertials.
<Similar species> Siberian Crane G. leucogeranus and Whooping Crane G. americana have black primaries and white necks. Black-necked Crane G. nigricollis has grey body.
<Voice> High-pitched, penetrating calls.

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Range Description

Grus japonensis breeds in south-eastern Russia, north-east China, Mongolia (first record in 20031) and eastern Hokkaido, Japan. The Russian and Chinese populations mainly winter in the Yellow river delta and the coast of Jiangsu province, China, and the Demilitarised Zone, North Korea/South Korea. Staging areas exist along the Yellow river between the provinces of Shanxi and Shaanxi. The Japanese population is non-migratory. The population is estimated at c.2,750 birds, although since it has a long generation length (12 years), this figure is likely to include only 1,650 mature individuals3. Trends are difficult to infer from population estimates, because due to habitat degradation wintering sites are becoming more concentrated and counts are therefore likely to be becoming more accurate, but it is likely to be declining on mainland Asia3. The wintering population in China totals c.1,000 birds at two sites and declining, with another 600-750 at four locations in North/South Korea3. The resident population in Japan has increased to c.1,000 birds and has now reached carrying capacity and stabilised3.

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Ecology

Ecology (Behaviour)

No descriptions

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Habitat

<Breeding> In Russia and China, it breeds in grass, reed, and sedge marshes.
<Non-breeding> In winter and on passage, it occurs in wetlands, including tidal flats, saltmarshes, rivers, wet grassland, saltpans and aquaculture ponds.

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Diet

No descriptions

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Breeding Site

See Habitat

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References

BirdLife International (2001). 1. O. Goroshko in litt. (2003). 2. Lee et al. (2007). 3. J. Harris in litt. (2007, 2009). 4. Harris (2008).

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Status

International Status

IUCN Red List Category

EN

Justification

This species is classified as Endangered because it has a very small population, and although the population in Japan is stable, the mainland Asian population continues to decline owing to loss and degradation of wetlands through conversion to agriculture and industrial development.
<Population justification> Population estimate is 2,750 individuals, Jim Harris in litt 2007 recommended that this equates to 1,650 mature individuals.
<Trend justification> The population on Japan is stable but that on the mainland is declining due to a number of factors, most importantly degradation of breeding and wintering sites. Apparent recent increases are likely to reflect increased concentrations at fewer sites, and the global population is thought to have declined by at least 20% over the past 37 years or three generations (J. Harris in litt. 2009).

 

National Status

Country Category Reference
Brunei Darussalam    
Cambodia    
China E China Red Data book of Endangered Animals(1998)
（Extinct, Extirpated, Endangered, Vulnerable, Rare, Interninate）
Indonesia    
Japan VU http://www.biodic.go.jp/rdb/rdb_f.html
Korea EN Korean Red List of Threatened Species(NIBR, 2012)
Lao PDR    
Malaysia    
Mongolia    
Myanmar    
Philippines    
Singapore    
Thailand    
Vietnam    

 

Management

Threat

he key threat is the loss and degradation of wetlands in its breeding and wintering grounds, principally for conversion to agriculture, but also industrial and economic development3. In China, wetlands are becoming drier as a result of surrounding development3. In Russia and China, spring fires destroy suitable nesting grounds, and the proliferation of dams lowers the water level, allowing predators access to nests and destroying suitable breeding sites3. Rainfall patterns in the breeding grounds appear to follow a 30 year cycle, and the current dry period has meant birds, people and livestock have had to depend on ever smaller areas of wetland, and there has been increased pressure to divert water from rivers and lakes4. Important sites on the Song-nen plain, Shuangtai Hekou and Yellow River delta are on or near major oilfields and pollution is a potential threat3. There is high adult mortality in some mainland wintering areas which is apparently due to poisoning; the species has been found to carry high levels of heavy metal contamination4. In the de-militarized zone of North/South Korea changing to autumn ploughing reduces access to waste grain2, and there is uncertainty regarding the long-term fate of the crane habitat, whatever the political future delivers. In Japan, the concentration of birds at feeding stations means there is a risk of disease3.

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Information

No descriptions

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Current Conservation

CITES Appendix I and II. CMS Appendix I and II. It is legally protected in all range states. Key protected areas include Khingansky, Muraviovka and Lake Khanka (Russia), Zhalong, Xianghai, Shuangtai Hekou, Yellow river delta and Yancheng (China), Kumya and Mundok (North Korea), Kushiro, Akkeshi-Bekanbeushi and Kiritappu (Japan).

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Current Conservation

Expand the area/number of wintering sites in Japan. Establish a transboundary protected area at Tumen estuary, between Russia/China/North Korea. Secure the conservation status of the Cholwon and Han estuary in the Demilitarised Zone. Establish protected areas on the Sanjiang plain (China). Halt tidal-flat reclamation along the Yancheng coast (China). Prevent poisoning from pesticides and poaching. Control fires in the breeding grounds. Establish interest groups for crane conservation in China.

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Legal Protection

Country Status Reference
Brunei Darussalam    
Cambodia    
China    
Indonesia    
Japan Domestic Endangered Species Law for the Conservation of Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora
Korea Category I Wildlife Protection Act
Lao PDR    
Malaysia    
Mongolia    
Myanmar    
Philippines    
Singapore    
Thailand    
Vietnam    

 

Related Links

 

Range

Geographical Information

Migration Route

 

Asian Waterbird Census

Descriptions

The Asian Waterbird Census (AWC) was initiated in 1987 and runs in parallel with other waterbird censuses carried out in Africa, Europe, Central and West Asia and Latin America under the umbrella of the International Waterbird Census (IWC), which is organised by Wetlands International.

The AWC takes place annually, during the second and third weeks of January, and is carried out by volunteers interested in collecting information on waterbirds and wetlands as a basis for contributing to their conservation.

Reference: Li, Z.W.D., Bloem, A., Delany S., Martakis G. and Quintero J. O. 2009. Status of Waterbirds in Asia - Results of the Asian Waterbird Census: 1987-2007. Wetlands International, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Census Data

BRUNEI DARUSSALAM 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007
The number of observed individual                                            
The number of observed sites(not all count sites)                                            
The total number of count sites 2 3 3 2 4 4 0 4 4 4 4 5 5 0 0 0 9 0 0 1 0 9
CAMBODIA 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007
The number of observed individual                                            
The number of observed sites(not all count sites)                                            
The total number of count sites 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 4 0 0 11 0 0 12 12 11 5 1 6 9 6 6
CHINA 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007
The number of observed individual     362 8 105 18   862 845 502 785 1020   6 1128   371   612 967 718 870
The number of observed sites(not all count sites)     1 1 4 2   2 1 1 1 1   1 1   2   1 1 1 3
The total number of count sites 0 1 34 12 50 60 67 29 6 14 6 15 21 20 14 10 22 45 80 81 59 72
INDONESIA 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007
The number of observed individual                                            
The number of observed sites(not all count sites)                                            
The total number of count sites 0 0 0 1 19 8 17 17 15 19 16 0 0 47 12 10 40 34 14 16 15 23
JAPAN 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007
The number of observed individual       469         340 328 301 294 254 414   405 808 908 822 607 1039 967
The number of observed sites(not all count sites)       1         1 1 1 2 1 2   1 1 1 1 2 1 1
The total number of count sites 0 0 0 53 39 52 47 20 50 40 47 37 41 37 107 112 103 109 97 159 142 137
LAO PDR 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007
The number of observed individual                                            
The number of observed sites(not all count sites)                                            
The total number of count sites 0 0 0 2 4 5 3 2 1 0 0 0 0 0 14 1 0 0 0 1 0 0
MALAYSIA 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007
The number of observed individual                                            
The number of observed sites(not all count sites)                                            
The total number of count sites 0 0 0 59 68 93 85 17 10 7 10 0 0 20 25 25 25 43 43 82 82 40
MYANMAR 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007
The number of observed individual                                            
The number of observed sites(not all count sites)                                            
The total number of count sites 0 5 3 12 17 15 21 20 13 12 2 4 2 0 7 32 47 73 24 31 32 19
PHILIPPINES 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007
The number of observed individual                                            
The number of observed sites(not all count sites)                                            
The total number of count sites 0 0 0 0 19 21 34 39 46 47 39 28 29 32 43 38 50 47 56 54 65 108
SINGAPORE 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007
The number of observed individual                                            
The number of observed sites(not all count sites)                                            
The total number of count sites 0 0 0 0 4 12 17 15 13 14 10 10 6 11 10 10 8 9 9 8 8 7
REPUBLIC OF KOREA 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007
The number of observed individual     106 146 94 78 68 232 338 20 272 94   382 338 409 545 388 582 529 643 704
The number of observed sites(not all count sites)     2 1 1 3 2 1 2 1 2 1   2 2 2 2 3 2 4 3 4
The total number of count sites 0 0 10 12 22 20 20 15 10 22 25 22 14 68 99 112 118 116 117 123 127 127
THAILAND 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007
The number of observed individual                                            
The number of observed sites(not all count sites)                                            
The total number of count sites 10 8 3 20 26 12 23 16 17 5 9 3 1 1 7 3 9 26 20 82 99 33
VIETNAM 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007
The number of observed individual                                            
The number of observed sites(not all count sites)                                            
The total number of count sites 0 0 0 1 2 0 1 4 0 1 1 0 1 8 2 2 16 4 4 9 6 11

 

Population

Descriptions

 

Population Trend

 

Additional Information

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Climate change species distributions

 

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