The Red-crowned Crane (Grus
japonensis), also called the Japanese Crane 丹頂 or タンチョウ, tancho; is a large East Asian crane and among the
rarest cranes in the world. Because legends say they live for 1000 years, they
are known as a symbol of longevity which in all Asian cultures is a sign of good
luck. Because they mate for life they are also symbols of fidelity.
Adult cranes are snow white with
black to the wings (appears almost like a black tail when standing, but the
real tail feathers are white), blackish to the head and neck, and a patch of
red skin on the crown. This patch of skin becomes brighter red when the crane
becomes angry or excited. This species is among the largest cranes, typically
measuring about 158 cm (62 in) tall. Typical body weight can range
from 7 to 10 kg (15 to 22 lb).
The estimated total population of
the species is only 2,750 in the wild, including about 1,000 birds in the
resident Japanese population found in eastern Hokkaidō. One famous lady, Mrs.
Watanabe, has been feeding large numbers of them for more than 40 years near
her home on the northern edge of the Kushiro Shitsugen National Park.
The migratory populations of the
Red-crowned Crane breed in Siberia (eastern Russia). Normally the cranes lay 2
eggs, with only one surviving. Later, in the fall, they migrate in flocks to Korea and eastern China
and of course Hokkaido Japan to spend the winter. The habitats are marshes,
riverbanks, rice fields, and other wetland areas. They eat small amphibians,
aquatic invertebrates, insects, and plants that grow in marshes and swamps.
One of the official logos of Japan Airlines featured a
Red-crowned Crane.
My submission for Travel Photo Thursday for December 28th, 2011
