Newsletter / Blog
2012-02-04 The Great Crane Project – Great UK success story.
The Common Crane - Grus grus - are
thought to have gone extinct as a breeding bird in the UK around 400
years ago.
In 1979, three of
these migrant birds spent the winter in the Norfolk Broads in the east of the UK. These three
pioneering cranes liked what they found and stayed put, and the population
slowly but steadily grew through immigration of more young birds and more
recently through breeding and the production of young to add to the population.
The UK population is still
centred in Norfolk, but birds have now also bred
in Suffolk and
on Humberside with the current population around 50 resident birds. Unlike
all other cranes on the continent, the UK
birds are resident and do not migrate away from the UK for the winter.
The Great Crane Project will be introducing a further 100 resident birds
between 2010 and 2015 and help to secure the future of the species in the UK.
The Common Crane - Grus grus - also known as the Eurasian Crane, a large, stately
bird. It is a medium-sized crane found in Europe and Asia.
It is a long distance migrant wintering in north, southern Europe, and southern
Asia.
Description
It is grey with a
white facial streak and a bunch of black wing plumes. Adults have a red crown
patch.
Call
It has a loud
trumpeting call, given in flight and display.
Food
It is omnivorous,
eating leaves, roots, insects, small birds and mammals.
Breeding
Breeds in large
areas of marsh and bog. On ground or in shallow water, usually on low mound or ridge. Nest is
re-used in successive years. Constructed of a large pile of available
vegetation with shallow cup in the top. Two eggs, variable in colour - from buff to olive to red-brown (sometimes
blue-grey) with dark brown or red-brown blotches, laid in April to June.
Incubation takes 28-31 days. Young fledge after 65-70 days. 1 brood per
year.
Conservation Status – Least Concern
The overall
population trend is uncertain, as some populations are decreasing, while others
are increasing, stable or have unknown trends.
Birdwatching
Possibly the best
place in Britain
to view wild common cranes in winter is NWT Hickling Broad. Between November
and February from the Stubb Mill raptor roost viewpoint, common cranes can be
seen coming in to roost at sunset.
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