The Red-crowned Crane - Grus japonensis - also called the Japanese Crane or Manchurian Crane is a large east Asian crane and among the rarest cranes in the world. In some parts of its range, it is known as a symbol of luck, longevity and fidelity. Adult Red-crowned 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.The bill is long and black.

This species is among the largest of all cranes. Similar species are the Siberian Crane Grus leucogeranus and Whooping Crane Grus americana which have black primaries and white necks. The Black-necked Crane Grus nigricollis has a grey body.

The call is a high-pitched, loud, rattling kar-r-r-o-o-o, with multiple variations. Mated pairs engage in unison calling, which is a complex and extended series of coordinated calls. The birds stand in a specific posture, usually with their heads thrown back and beaks skyward during the display. The male always lifts up his wings over his back during the unison call while the female keeps her wings folded at her sides. Male Red-crowned Cranes initiate the display and the female utters two calls for each male call.

Preferred habitats are marshes, riverbanks, rice fields, and other wet areas. Red-crowned Cranes are highly aquatic cranes with large home ranges. They feed in deeper water than other cranes. They also forage regularly on pasturelands in Japan, and in winter they use coastal salt marshes, rivers, freshwater marshes, rice paddies, and cultivated fields. Red-crowned Cranes prefer to nest in marshes with relatively deep water and standing dead vegetation. Red-crowned Cranes are well adapted to cold temperatures.

They breed in south-eastern Russia, north-east China, Mongolia and eastern Hokkaido, Japan. Nests are built on wet ground or in shallow water. Females usually lay two eggs and incubation by both sexes which lasts between 29 to 34 days. Normally only one chick survives. The male takes the primary role in defending the nest against possible danger. Chicks fledge at about 95 days [First Flight].

Red-crowned Cranes are generalist feeders, eating a wide variety of insects, aquatic invertebrates, fish, amphibians, and rodents, as well as reeds, grasses, heath berries, corn and grain.

The Red-crowned Crane is seriously threatened by loss of habitat throughout its range. Human development, especially agricultural expansion, reed harvesting, river channelization, deforestation, and road building, is destroying many of the historic breeding wetlands. Additional threats include fires that destroy nests, harassment by people, and poisoning from pesticide-treated grain. Because of their size and weight, Red-crowned Cranes do not fly as fast as other cranes, and appear more prone to deadly collisions with utility lines.