Wildlife
Common cranes are the most widely distributed of all the cranes, breeding from Western Europe to Siberia. Monogamous pairs reinforce their bond with a series of calls and elaborate head jerks. Together the pair builds a ground nest within their wetland habitat from a mound of swampy vegetation. The job of incubating their two eggs is also shared, and during this time adults embark on the fascinating behaviour of ‘painting’ their upper bodies and wings with reddish mud, which is though to provide camouflage.
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School days
The first term at crane school is all about physical education.
The first term at crane school is all about physical education.
Crane comeback
A small common crane population has found its own way back to the UK without human intervention.
A small common crane population has found its own way back to the UK without human intervention.
Return of the native
A small population of common cranes is breeding in the UK once more.
A small population of common cranes is breeding in the UK once more.
Supply teaching
Bill Oddie helps teaches hand-reared cranes how to survive in the wild.
Bill Oddie helps teaches hand-reared cranes how to survive in the wild.
Fostering the future
The future of common cranes lies with the new students of crane school.
The future of common cranes lies with the new students of crane school.
Species range provided by WWF's Wildfinder.
The Common crane can be found in a number of locations including: Africa, Asia, China, Europe, Indian subcontinent, Mediterranean, Russia, United Kingdom. Find out more about these places and what else lives there.
The following habitats are found across the Common crane distribution range. Find out more about these environments, what it takes to live there and what else inhabits them.
Discover what these behaviours are and how different plants and animals use them.
Additional data source: Animal Diversity Web
Least Concern
Year assessed: 2009
Classified by: IUCN 3.1
The Common Crane (Grus grus), also known as the Eurasian Crane, is a bird of the family Gruidae, the cranes. A medium-sized species, it is the only crane commonly found in Europe besides the Demoiselle Crane. It is also one of only four crane species (with the Sandhill and Demoiselle Cranes and the Brolga) not currently classified as threatened with extinction or conservation dependent at the species level.
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Farmland
Bog
Estuaries
Intertidal zone
Lakes and ponds
Marsh
Mediterranean forest
Rivers and streams
Swamp
Temperate grassland
Wetlands
Migration
Colonial
Courtship display
Adapted to flying
Acoustic communication
Monogamous
Moulting
Egg layer
Visual communication