The characteristics of real cranes generally coincide with those given for the entire order. True cranes never sit on trees; they make nests only on the ground. Clutch of 1-2 spotted eggs. The family has 4 genera, including 14 living species, 31 species are known in fossil form.
Cranes are widespread, they are absent only in South America, Madagascar, and many islands Pacific Ocean and in New Zealand.
Gray crane(Grus grus) - large bird, weighing from 4 to 7 kg. Wing length is from 57 to 66 cm. Wingspan is 2-21/4 m. The general color is gray. The frenulum, forehead and anterior part of the crown of the head in adult birds are unfeathered and black. There is a bare red spot on the back of the crown and on the back of the head. From the eyes to the sides of the head and the top of the neck white is coming a stripe gradually becoming gray, which merges with the general plumage of the bird. The flight feathers are black. The legs are black, the beak is greenish-brown, becoming lighter towards the top. Like many other cranes, the tertiary flight feathers are greatly elongated and expanded.
Gray cranes are widespread from Scandinavia (except for its northernmost parts) and southern shores Baltic Sea to the east, apparently, to the Kolyma, to the north to the lower reaches of the Ob, Lower Tunguska and to the confluence of the Moma River with the Indigirka. To the south these birds are distributed up to Kyiv region , Zaisan, Transbaikalia (Dauria). In some places they can be found further south: in the Danube Delta, on Sivash, in Transcaucasia and in the southwestern part of Asia Minor. Common cranes winter in northern parts Africa (south to Somalia), partly on the northern shores Mediterranean Sea
In the south of our country, gray cranes appear in the spring around mid-March; in the Moscow region, the average date of their arrival (over 21 years of observations) is April 10. In the more northern parts of the range, for example near Cherdyn, arrival occurs in early May.
After arrival, the cranes stay in flocks for some time, then break up into pairs and settle in vast dense marshy swamps, heavily moist meadows, along the shores of lakes, etc., and they apparently do not care whether such places are in the taiga, in the steppe or even further south - in the semi-desert.
Before nesting begins, gray cranes perform a “dance” that is very characteristic of all representatives of this family: having gathered in a small group, the birds take all sorts of poses that are strange, from our point of view. Since males and females are practically indistinguishable from each other, it is difficult to say whether only the males “dance” and the females remain in the role of spectators, or whether both sexes take part in this pre-nesting activity.
Together with adult, sexually mature birds, one-year-old birds also fly to nesting sites. They keep in small flocks, 6-10 each, and wander throughout the summer, sometimes moving quite far away from the nesting sites of their older brothers.
Gray cranes nest sparsely. Even in places where they are still common, their nests are rarely closer to each other than 5-6 km. And only in very rare cases is it possible to find nests at a distance of 2-3 km from one another. To build a nest in a swamp, a dry place is selected, such that there is open space around it. A bird on or near a nest needs a wide view: approaching danger must be noticed in time.
Cranes are not very skilled builders. Often they limit themselves to lining a small depression in the soil with a thin layer of dry stems, blades of grass and reeds, sometimes they throw a small pile of branches, in which, however, they arrange a tray lined with a small amount of dry grass and reeds, or, finally, they settle on a densely trampled pile of rotted reeds. The dimensions of the gray crane's nest are approximately as follows: its diameter is about 80 cm, its height is 20-30 cm.
Like many other birds, gray cranes remain faithful to their once chosen nesting site and nest in the same swamp, sometimes even in the same nest for several years in a row.
The gray crane usually lays 2 eggs, sometimes there are 3, rarely one. The egg weighs 150-200 g, its long axis is from 95 to 100-102 mm, its short axis is 60-62 mm. Sometimes there is a rather sharp difference in size between two eggs of the same clutch. In such cases, the first egg laid is larger. Thus, in one crane nest, the first egg weighed 187 g, while the second was only 162 g. The eggs are reddish-brown in color, sometimes greenish-brown with brownish-red spots. Usually about two days pass between the laying of the first and second eggs, and incubation begins after the first egg is laid and lasts 29-30 days. It is mainly the female who incubates, while the male stays nearby all the time and carefully monitors the area to see if there is any danger. In case of danger, he emits a loud cry, and the female hastily but carefully runs away from the nest and takes off at some distance from it.
Egg laying in mid-latitudes (for example, in the Moscow region) occurs in early May. Hatching therefore occurs at the end of the same month, but more often at the beginning of June.
Hatched chicks weigh about 120 g. They are covered with reddish-ocher down, lighter on the abdomen, and after some time they acquire a second downy plumage - brownish-gray, lighter on the head and neck, with an ocher coating on the back, head and neck. On the 40-43rd day of life, the chicks already acquire a feather outfit, although in some places you can still see the remains of down. Weights adult bird young reach approximately the 170th day of life.
Cranes - brood birds. As soon as the chicks dry out, they stand up and can run out of the nest, and adult birds pretty soon take them to thickets that more reliably hide the brood. When the young take wing, they fly out with their parents to feed in the nearest fields and meadows, but return to their native reeds for the night, as well as for a midday rest.
In early August, in mid-latitudes, cranes begin preparing for departure. During migration, cranes fly in a characteristic wedge formation and at high altitude. At this time, they make themselves known by loud purring.
The molting of adult birds begins after the chicks hatch in July and ends in October. For some time, while the primary and outer secondary flight feathers change, the bird loses the ability to fly and remains in the most inaccessible swamps. New feathers grow quite quickly, and at the end of July the cranes can fly again. The molting of small feathers lasts a long time, and its replacement ends already in wintering grounds.
Cranes feed mainly on plant foods: berries, in particular cranberries, seeds of various plants, young shoots of grass, seedlings of grain. They also eat animal food - various insects (beetles, locusts), mollusks, frogs, snakes, small rodents.
Cranes are quite noisy. They easily reveal their presence with their voice. At the same time, they are very careful, and when the flock is feeding, one or two birds act as guards, who shout to warn the other birds of danger.
In flight, cranes stretch their necks forward and lean back long legs. They flap their wide wings evenly all the time and do not resort to soaring flight. Only by falling to the ground can they a short time glide on fixed wings.
Although the meat of cranes is quite edible, they have no commercial value, since they are few in number and hunting them is difficult. In captivity, these birds live well and are easily tamed.
Siberian Crane, or, as it is often called, White Crane(G. leucogeranus) is a rare and until recently poorly studied bird.
This is the appearance of this bird. The plumage color is white, only the primaries and upper coverts are black. The front part of the head is devoid of feathers and has a red color. The legs are black, the beak is brownish-red, straight, strong.
The ends of the long third flight feathers are spread out and cover the tail with a magnificent mound. The weight of this large bird ranges from 5 to 8 kg, the wing length is 54-66 cm, and the wingspan is 2-2.5 m.
Young Siberian Cranes are generally red in color, but the tips of their wings, like those of adults, are black.
As for the area of distribution of the Siberian Crane, everything is not yet clear. There is reason to believe that not so long ago this bird was widespread in Western Siberia and Kazakhstan. However, some experts on the bird fauna of Kazakhstan believe that this opinion is based on a mistake and that the Siberian Crane has been northern birds. We do not undertake to resolve this dispute here and will only talk about those places where Siberian Cranes currently nest. Firstly, a small nesting area of the Siberian Crane is known in Western Siberia along the lower Ob, and, secondly, it nests in North-Eastern Yakutia, in the Yana-Indigirka tundra.
Siberian cranes arrive at their nesting sites in Yakutia in the second half of May, when the ground is still covered with snow and the first thawed patches appear only on the tops of the hills. Immediately after arrival, mating games begin. At this time, the male “dances”, slightly spreading his wings, then lowering and then raising his head, stretching his neck and beak parallel to the ground, then crouching, then straightening up. He circles around the female all the time and makes melodious shimmering sounds all the time. These games take place in dry, elevated places, where birds gather in small groups of 2-3 and rarely 4 pairs.
The favorite habitats of the Siberian Crane, where it makes its nests, are open lowland moss-lichen tundras, necessarily with the presence of lakes. The nest is a carelessly scattered pile of grass on small grassy islands or on moss hummocks. Near such a hummock, the water depth can sometimes reach half a meter.
There are 2, sometimes only 1, eggs in the nest, grayish-olive in color with a bluish tint. There is quite a lot on the shell a large number of spots from light brown to dark brown (Table 1). Egg size: 72-110 mm along the long axis and 42-63 mm along the short axis. Weight 150-210 g.
The Siberian Crane apparently begins incubation after the second egg is laid. The female incubates, and the male plays the role of guard. Siberian cranes actively protect the nest from enemies, and even such a predator as the arctic fox does not dare to approach the nest of this bird. It is almost impossible for a person to approach a Siberian Crane's nest unnoticed. See this big one white bird in the tundra it is possible already from a distance of 3-3.5 km, but the bird also sees the person in a timely manner and, allowing him to approach at a distance of 300-400 m, calmly flies away.
In the spring, the Siberian Crane's food is dominated by animal food - lemmings and other voles, but during the nesting period and at the end of summer it eats mainly plant food.
The autumn migration of Siberian Cranes in Central and South-Eastern Yakutia occurs in the second half of September. In Western Siberia and Kazakhstan they fly in October.
The Siberian Crane is a rare and apparently endangered bird. According to V.I. Perfilyev’s calculations, no more than 300-350 pairs of these birds currently nest on the territory of the Yana-Indigirka tundra. They must be protected in every possible way.
Whooping crane(G. americana) is a large, long-legged bird, white in color, but with bright red unfeathered parts of the head, a greenish beak and dark, almost black legs.
The life of this species hangs, one might say, by a thread. Once widespread and quite abundant in the lowland steppes of Canada and the United States, the whooping crane now nests in a very small area in the northwest corner of Wood Buffalo Park, on the border between Alberta and the Northwest Territories (Canada). As a result measures taken to protect this species, the number of whooping cranes began to gradually increase. In 1960, 42 specimens were registered, but 6 of them belonged to zoos.
Great loss of numbers whooping crane brought by the plowing of the lands where it nested, and rampant hunting of it during migration and wintering in the southern states of the United States.
U Antigones(G. antigone) head and top part the necks are devoid of feathers, bright red, the crown is ashen. All other plumage is generally light gray, in some places lighter, in others darker. The flight feathers are dark brown. The neck and legs are very long, the tertiary flight legs are greatly elongated. Beak middle length, grey. Legs are reddish. Wing length 65 cm.
Antigone is found throughout Northern India and further east to Assam and Burma. Further east, it breeds in Cambodia and the northernmost parts of Vietnam.
In the nesting area, antigones are found in literally all bodies of water and often also in rice fields. They form pairs, apparently, for life, and local population believes that when one member of a couple dies, the other also dies. These birds nest during the rainy season, i.e. from June to September, sometimes at other times. Nests are made in the middle rice field or in a drier area of marshland. Often the nest is surrounded on all sides by water. There are 2 eggs in a clutch, but sometimes 3 or only one. Antigones feed mainly on plant foods, although they also eat insects, reptiles and mollusks. The population treats these birds with care and does not persecute them, so the Antigones behave trustingly towards humans. Caught young birds quickly become tame, walk freely, for example, in the garden and, in some respects, play the role of a guard dog there.
Demoiselle Crane(Anthropoides virgo) is smaller than other cranes. It weighs 2-3 g, the wing length in females is 49 cm, in males - 53 cm. This graceful bird has a bluish-gray plumage, but the neck, sides of the head, forehead, back of the head and elongated craw feathers are black and shiny . There are tufts of white feathers on the sides of the head. The legs are black, the beak at the base is black with brown tint, reddish-brown in the apical part.
Belladonna belongs to the steppe south of our country. It is distributed from the lower reaches of the Danube through the south of Ukraine and Kazakhstan to the upper reaches of the Amur. However, in Ukraine this bird should now be considered almost extinct. A small number of demoiselles nest in Transcaucasia. This bird probably also nests in North-West Africa (Algeria, perhaps Morocco). Demoiselle cranes winter in Northeast Africa (as far south as Ethiopia), Palestine, Iraq, Pakistan, India and Burma.
Demoiselles return to their nesting sites in April. Immediately after arrival, they begin mating games (“dancing”). All birds nesting in the vicinity gather for these games. They form a circle; if there are a lot of birds, sometimes even in two or three rows. In the middle of this circle, several birds “dance”, making characteristic trumpet sounds. After some time, these birds return to the ranks of the “spectators”, and new “dancers” take their place.
Belladonnas make their nest on the ground in the steppe or on arable land, sometimes on pebbles, and do not avoid the proximity of human habitation. The nest is simple. This is a shallow hole with a small, carelessly scattered litter of dry stems and grasses. Sometimes belladonna lays eggs on the ground without making a hole. In places where belladonnas are more or less common, nests are located 2-3 km from each other.
Like all cranes, belladonnas lay 2 eggs, but sometimes there are 3 eggs or only 1 egg. The eggs have an olive-brown base color with yellowish-brown and grayish-brown spots. Their large diameter is 81-94 mm, small 53-59 mm.
Belladonnas feed mainly on plant foods and to a lesser extent on insects. In the second half of summer, they sometimes fly to nearby fields and tear ears there with their beaks, swallowing them whole. About a hundred and fifty years ago, when there were still many belladonna belladonnas in Ukraine, in some places they could be seen walking along with domestic chickens in many villages. These birds are easily tamed and become domesticated already in the first generation raised in captivity.
Crowned Crane(Balearica pavonina) is widespread in Africa from Sudan and Senegal to the south of the mainland. There are especially many crowned cranes in the savannas of Uganda. The size of this bird is approximately the same as the demoiselle crane. On the head there is a golden-yellow bunch of thin feathers, forming a crest in the form of a kind of crown. The top of the head is black, its sides are white. Between the black and white, a chestnut-red stripe runs from the eye to the back of the head. Red color is present on the chin. The rest of the plumage of this crane is generally dark gray.
Or Siberian Crane, (Grus leucogeranus) belongs to the order Crane-shaped, family Crane, genus Crane. These birds nest only on limited area northern territories of Russia.
What does the Siberian Crane (white crane) look like? Description and photos
The Siberian Crane bird reaches a height of about 140-160 centimeters, the wingspan is 210-230 centimeters, and the weight of the crane is from 5 to 8.5 kilograms. The front part of the white crane's head is devoid of feathers. In adult cranes this place is colored red. The beak of the Siberian Crane is very long, it is longer than that of other species, it is red in color and has a saw-toothed serration. The plumage is almost completely white, except for the black flight feathers on the wings. Young Siberian Cranes have brownish-red plumage. The cornea of cranes' eyes is red or pale yellow. The paws are long pink-red. The bird's lifespan is about 70 years.
Where does the Siberian Crane (white crane) live?
Birds such as the white crane are very demanding of their habitat. Two separate populations of cranes were discovered. One population lives in the Arkhangelsk region of Russia, and the second lives in the Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Okrug. The Siberian Crane, which breeds only in Russia, winters in India, Azerbaijan, Mongolia, Afghanistan, Pakistan, China and Kazakhstan. The Siberian Crane bird is larger than all other types of cranes and leads an aquatic lifestyle. This makes saving this species from extinction a difficult mission. Their beak and legs are designed for wetlands. Long legs make it easy to move over bumps and sticky soil. The white crane is wary of humans: if it notices a person on the horizon, it leaves the nest. In such a situation, the Siberian Crane may even abandon eggs or already hatched chicks.
What does the Siberian Crane eat?
The Siberian Crane bird feeds on animal and plant foods. White cranes are omnivores and can eat almost anything. In summer they eat seeds and berries, cranberries, fish, eggs and chicks of other birds, insects, underwater parts of cotton grass and sedge, small vertebrates and rodents, as well as small birds. In winter, during migration, the Siberian Crane eats plant foods such as tubers and rhizomes aquatic plants.
Reproduction of white cranes
Siberian cranes are monogamous birds. At the end of May, a pair of Siberian Cranes arrives at their future nesting site. Like other crane species, the pair celebrates their union by singing a duet. The cry of white cranes tall, drawn-out and clean, this makes it stand out from other species. Individuals throw back their heads and emit a series of melodic sounds, complex and drawn-out. During song, the male spreads his wings, but the female keeps them folded all the time. At the same time, the Siberian Cranes perform a dance that includes bowing, jumping, tossing twigs and flapping their wings.
White cranes make their nest in a clearly visible area, with a reserve fresh water, in the tundra or taiga, in water with a depth of 30-40 centimeters. At the same time, the Siberian Crane nest itself rises 15-20 cm above the water level. Both parents build the nest. Usually two gray eggs with dark spots are laid. In a bad year they can get by with just one. The female white crane incubates her offspring for about 29 days, and the male guards them. The hatched chicks engage in a difficult struggle for survival; only the strongest chick survives. After 70-75 days, it acquires brown-red feathers. White plumage in Siberian Cranes appears only at 3 years of age.
The white crane Siberian Crane is listed in the Red Book
IN wildlife There are a maximum of 3000 white cranes. Several thousand of these birds are kept in captivity. White cranes and Siberian Cranes are on the verge of extinction, so many ornithologists are concerned about this problem and are helping with all their might. The issue of Siberian Crane protection began to be closely addressed in 1970. Since that time, reserve funds and many nurseries have been created where scientists raise cranes from eggs. Ornithologists even train chicks to fly long distances.
Hunting for white cranes is prohibited, since the Siberian Crane is listed in the Red Book of Russia, the Red Book and the Convention on international trade species of wild fauna and flora that are under threat of destruction.
Cranes. Photo by I. Bartashov
The gray crane is the same bird whose crowing, soul-disturbing cries we hear in spring and autumn high, high in the sky. This is the same bird with long legs and a long beak that is the hero of songs, poems, fairy tales and folk beliefs.
The gray crane is a large bird, about 125 centimeters tall and weighing 4-5.5 kg. But by “crane” standards this is not much. The largest crane is the Japanese crane. His height is more than one and a half meters.
Five hundred years ago, the gray crane lived throughout almost all of Europe and northern Asia. IN Western Europe by the end of the 20th century, its numbers had declined catastrophically, but now, thanks to protection, the numbers have increased and continue to increase little by little. The cranes have again inhabited their former nesting sites in France, Great Britain and many other countries.
On the territory of our country, the population of the gray crane is still in satisfactory condition, however, in a number of places it has disappeared or almost disappeared due to strong anthropogenic pressure - drainage of swamps, peat extraction, clearing of floodplain forests, various construction, poaching. According to data for the 1970-80s, scientists approximately estimated the number of cranes at 50-70 thousand individuals. But global counts have not been carried out since then, so it is very difficult to determine how many gray cranes there are in Russia now. That is why conducting surveys and records is considered one of most important tasks conservation strategies for gray cranes.
The gray crane is very flexible and is not associated with any strictly defined type of landscape. However, during nesting time it always stays in swampy areas. In the northern taiga part of the range, cranes find such areas in large moss swamps, to the south - in swampy floodplains densely overgrown with alder, in the south - in the steppe zone and in the forest-steppe - in large lake basins with marshy meadows and reed thickets. The gray crane travels along lake systems and river floodplains and into semi-deserts. And in Western Europe, he can use small reed-filled swamps located among agricultural fields near populated areas.
Gray cranes appear at nesting sites in March–April. To build a nest, they prefer areas of swampy birch or alder forest with hummocks and thickets of bushes that are difficult for humans to navigate, and the outskirts of moss and sedge swamps with small pine and birch trees. Like all their relatives, gray cranes are territorial birds, but due to the fact that they nest in relatively closed places, their territoriality is less pronounced than that of other species of cranes that live in open spaces, for example, Siberian Cranes.
The nest is located secretly, often among dense bushes or in tall reeds right on a swamp hummock, surrounded by water. IN middle lane In Russia, cranes lay eggs in late April – early May. The clutch usually contains two brownish-olive eggs with reddish-brownish spots. Depending on the course of spring, chicks hatch from mid-May to the first ten days of June. Both parents incubate the clutch, replacing each other to feed and clean themselves. When a person approaches, the incubating crane quietly leaves the nest, hiding behind the bushes, and takes off far to the side. On open places The crane uses a different tactic - it runs away, imitating a wounded bird, and drags the enemy along with it, away from the nest.
The chicks hatch one to two days apart. Their development occurs according to the semi-brood type - as soon as the second chick dries out, they leave the nest and follow the adults (brood type), but they do not yet know how to feed themselves and receive food from their parents (chick type). IN favorable years, that is, warm and rich in food, the crane family manages to raise both chicks.
Cranes are omnivorous birds; their food range is very wide and seasonal. In spring and summer, the basis consists of: small vertebrates, berries, shellfish, sprouts and inflorescences of marsh plants, insects and their larvae. In autumn, during migration, and in winter, cranes feed almost exclusively in the fields, where they eat the grains of agricultural crops left after harvesting (wheat, barley, corn, peas, etc.), and sometimes the potatoes left after harvesting, actively digging them out with their beaks. However, the favorite food during this period is winter seedlings. The grown winter crops no longer attract cranes.
Gray cranes are true migratory birds. Every year in spring and autumn they travel vast distances. Such migrations require large energy expenditures. Therefore, in late August - early September, cranes gather in traditional places, where they form pre-flight aggregations numbering from several tens to several thousand birds. Such territories are usually confined to vast agricultural fields and safe overnight stays (islands, river spits, swamps). Here the birds rest, gain strength before a long journey, and get used to each other. Early in the morning and late in the evening, cranes fly between roosting and feeding areas, and the flocks form a wedge. This is precisely the period of time when cranes are tolerant of the presence of people and agricultural machinery in the fields. It is at this time that it is easiest to see them and hear their clear voices.
From the end of August in the northern regions to the beginning of October in the southern regions, cranes leave their native places and migrate south. Like most other large birds with broad wings, cranes use a flight strategy during migration that expends less energy. In calm weather, usually on the warm days of Indian summer, cranes take to the air and look for so-called thermals - vertically rising streams warm air. At this time, you can see the departure of cranes - a flock suddenly takes off and begins to circle with screams, rising higher and higher on the stream, until, finally, it completely disappears into the blue sky. Such air currents carry cranes at high speed to in the right direction. So in a short period of time they cover enormous distances, making quite long stops along the way to rest and feed.
The wintering grounds of gray cranes lie in the south of Western Europe, North Africa, Western Asia, India and China. Cranes living in the north of the European part, Scandinavia and the Baltic countries fly to France, Spain, Egypt and Sudan for the winter. Birds from the central regions of the European part of Russia, as well as from Western Siberia, winter in Turkey, Israel, Iran, Iraq, and partly in Egypt. Gray cranes living in the Baikal region, southeastern Siberia and Far East winter in India and China.
In the countries of Central and Central Asia, in Western Europe, the gray crane, like other species of cranes, is protected by law; hunting them is prohibited. In a number of republics it is listed in the national and regional Red Books. But in Afghanistan and Pakistan, crane hunting is one of the most popular and traditional. In these countries, they keep special decoy hand cranes that lure their wild counterparts to hunters’ ambushes. In the markets of Kabul it is not at all uncommon to see both live and killed gray cranes and demoiselles for sale.
In Russia, the gray crane is not only a protected bird, but also revered since ancient times. There are ancient customs, signs and beliefs that protect cranes. Now the gray crane is protected in dozens of nature reserves and national parks. Every autumn, hundreds of people watch and count their cranes, worrying whether there are fewer of them, and rejoicing if there are more of them.
So, in our “Crane Homeland” reserve, we count our cranes every autumn. Let's join forces this fall and count the cranes together!
The material was prepared on the basis of published Working group on the cranes of Eurasia. Photos used by I. Bartashov, V. Onishchenko, T. Styur, Y. Markin, T. Kashentseva, as well as from the archives of the International Crane Conservation Fund.
The crane is a widely distributed bird in the world. According to ornithologists, they appeared about 40-60 million years ago and practically witnessed the extinction of dinosaurs. The described animals are found everywhere and on all continents, except the territories South America and Africa.
Description of the crane
The crane bird is very beautiful and aristocratic. She is distinguished by her long legs and proud appearance. The height of birds ranges from 90 to 155 centimeters. An animal called Australian but found in India is tallest flying bird peace. The height of the sandhill crane reaches 175 centimeters. Animals live in nature for about 20 years, and in captivity they can live up to 70-80 years. The crane is a long-lived bird. Here interesting features the color of the bird and what sounds the crane makes:
- These birds come in gray and white flowers, but the demoiselle crane is bluish-gray in color. Rear end the heads and elongated craw feathers are black, as are the legs. The beak is black with a brown tint at the base, and reddish at the apex.
- Crane calls are similar sounds musical instrument. People hear the sound “kurly-kurly”. Some species of cranes make clapping sounds instead of purring.
What does a crane eat?
Food in the wild depends on the habitat of the birds. Their priority food plant origin
: seeds, shoots, berries, grass. Since they are active in daytime day, then they prefer a hearty breakfast. However, the diet may include frogs, small rodents such as mice, and various insects. Chicks are often fed insects, as they are more nutritious than plant foods, but easier to digest than rodents.
Do people eat cranes? If you look only from the side of suitability, then yes, meat can be eaten, although it harsh and with a specific taste. Crane meat has a high percentage of fat, so the broth from it turns out to be very rich. From an ethical point of view, everyone decides for themselves whether it is worth adding variety to their diet through this bird.
Demoiselle Crane
Let's take a closer look at such an amazing creature as the demoiselle crane. This the smallest crane listed in the Red Book. The height of this animal is no more than 89 centimeters, and its weight is only 2-3 kilograms. The demoiselle crane lives in Russia, as well as in 47 other countries. They do not prefer swampy areas, like their relatives, but open areas with low vegetation.
Demoiselles are monogamous. 
Their “marriage” lasts throughout their lives. And even if one partner dies, the second is in no hurry to find a replacement. The only thing that can lead to a “breakup” is the absence of offspring.
Demoiselle cranes are migratory birds . They can form flocks of up to 400 birds to migrate. Demoiselle cranes feed on both animal and plant foods. These birds are very easily tamed and become domesticated immediately in the first generation.
They will never cannot be seen on tree branches, they love comfort very much. Sitting on thin, bending branches is not for these proud birds. Exists ancient legend, which says that one day a pair of cranes, very tired on the road, sat on a dry tree, and at night lightning struck the tree and it caught fire. The birds were fast asleep, and the flame touched their legs, severely scorching them. The creatures took off in horror, but one could not get out of the flames. Since then, none of the birds sit on the tree and you can often hear their plaintive cry. Of course, one can argue about the veracity of the legend, but the fact that they do not sit on trees is a fact. Other equally interesting facts:
This article will talk about one of the most interesting and large birds. This is a crane. In total, 7 species of such birds live in Russia. Of these, the most common and numerous is the common crane.
Habitat
Gray cranes nest in western and northern Europe, in many territories of Russia (up to the Kolyma River basin and Transbaikalia), in China and in Northern Mongolia. They are also seen a little in Altai, Tibet and Turkey. IN winter period cranes, like most birds, usually migrate south: to the Eastern and North Africa, to Spain, France, the Middle East, India and China (south and east).
Their nesting places: in swampy areas and in river floodplains (swampy). If there is a lack of wetlands, they can also settle close to agricultural land. Usually, for wintering, cranes choose more elevated places, quite densely covered with herbaceous vegetation.
Gray crane: photo, description
Males and females practically do not differ from each other in appearance. The predominant color of adult individuals is gray. Some feathers are only slightly colored black: flight feathers (primary, secondary, tertiary and coverts), as well as tail feathers (their tips).
They are practically absent on the crown of the head, and the area of bare skin on it is reddish. A gray crane always walks with a red “cap” on its head (the photo clearly demonstrates this).
The lower part of the neck, its sides, part of the head (back) and chin are brownish-black in color. It stands out sharply on the neck and head of the bird white stripe, which runs along the sides of the head to the back edge, as well as along the outside of the neck.
This is a fairly large bird: its height is 115 cm, and its wings have a wingspan of up to 2 meters. The weight of males reaches 6 kg, and females - slightly less (5,900 kg). The color of the plumage allows the bird to camouflage itself in forests from enemies. The beak reaches a size of up to 30 cm. The young gray crane has gray feathers with red tips. The bird's limbs are dark.
Reproduction
The gray crane is a monogamous bird. She retains her mate throughout her life. Only if the female or male dies, does the surviving bird find another life partner. And another couple can be formed in the event of unsuccessful long-term attempts to have offspring.
The breeding season lasts from April to July. As a rule, a pair is formed before the flight to the future nesting site begins. After arriving at the place, the female and the male arrange those same peculiar ritual dances. They represent jumping, flapping wings and an important prancing gait.
A piece of land (relatively dry) is selected above or near water, always among dense vegetation (thickets of reeds, etc.). This is a place for a nest. Male and female announce choice suitable place in a drawn-out voice. This is how they mark their territory.
The nest itself is large (more than 1 m in diameter). It is built from a wide variety of materials. Usually the female lays 2 eggs. The incubation period lasts up to 31 days. Both the male and female incubate the eggs. Soon after birth, the chicks can leave the parent's nest. Their full plumage occurs after about 70 days.
Lifestyle, features
The gray crane, as noted above, upon arrival to its homeland begins to dance in a peculiar way. They do this either alone or in a flock. During this period, the birds are very careful, so all this can only be observed from afar. Cranes on nesting sites usually never form mass gatherings, that is, pairs nest far from each other.
The female and male build the nest very quickly and carelessly. As a result, it is simply a pile of brushwood collected from nearby areas. Inside the nest there is a tray lined with dry grass. As a rule, older birds occupy their nests (last year's). Such a nest can serve a pair of cranes for several years; the birds simply renew it a little every year.
Distribution of cranes in Russia
The gray crane in Russia is represented by two subspecies - western and eastern. they differ little from each other. The border of their distribution, as well as their subspecies independence, has been studied relatively poorly in the country today. Approximately, we can say that the border that separates these two subspecies extends along the Ural ridge. The western subspecies lives in European Russia, and eastern - in Asian.
Moreover, it is known that for the winter, the gray crane flies from the European part of the country to Africa (Morocco, Egypt, etc.), and from the eastern part (living mainly in Siberia) to northern India or China. A small part of gray cranes overwinter in Transcaucasia.
In conclusion about the most interesting
At the very beginning of the mating season, gray cranes cover their feathers with dirt and silt. This allows them to camouflage and hide from predators, making them less noticeable during the periods of hatching and hatching their chicks.
The gray crane, like other species, begins its flight with a smooth run into the wind, accelerating and opening its huge wings just before takeoff.
Gray cranes are quite omnivorous: they feed on plants (tubers, leaves, stems, acorns, berries, etc.), invertebrates (worms and insects), and vertebrates (snakes, frogs, rodents and fish). The crane can also feed on grain, even posing a threat to the harvest.
