SIBERIAN CRANE

The 'Siberian Crane', '''Grus leucogeranus''', also known as the 'Siberian White Crane' or the 'Snow Crane', is a bird of the family ''Gruidae'', the cranes.
This species breeds in arctic Russia in Yakutia and western Siberia. It is a long distance migrant. The eastern population winters on the Yangtze River and Lake Poyang in China, the central population at Keoladeo National Park, India and the western population in Fereidoonkenar and Esfahan in Iran. It breeds and winters in wetlands, where it feeds on the shoots, roots and tubers of aquatic plants.
This is a large white crane. Large males can exceed 140 cm (55 inches) in length and weigh over 10 kg (22 lbs). Adults are all white, except for a dark red mask extending from the bill to behind the eye. It has a yellow iris and reddish legs. The male is slightly larger than the female. Juveniles have a feathered mask and buff or cinnamon plumage. The voice is flute-like and musical.
The status of this crane is critical, as it is expected to undergo a rapid population decline in the near future. The wintering site in China holding 95% of the population is threatened by hydrological changes caused by the Three Gorges Dam.
Historic records from India suggest that a number of them wintered there in the past. This number has steadily declined and the birds are no longer found there.
The Siberian Crane is one of the species to which the ''Agreement on the Conservation of African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbirds'' (AEWA) applies and is subject of a Memorandum of Understanding concluded under the Bonn Convention.

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See also

References

External links

See also

★ Angelo d'Arrigo

References

★ Database entry includes justification for why this species is critically endangered

External links

★ International Crane Foundation's Siberian Crane page

★ BirdLife Species Factsheet