I knew that I wanted to post about cranes (the birds) today because our crane (the machine) is supposed to be arriving by barge tonight so it can sink our poles tomorrow. When I went looking for crane inspiration, the fine looking couple above stopped me dead in my tracks.
Among the largest and rarest birds in the world, the red-crowned crane stands 5 feet tall, has a wingspan of up to 8 feet and weighs between 15 and 26 pounds! That’s a lot of bird!
In Japan and elsewhere in Asia, red-crowned cranes are known as a symbol of luck, longevity, and fidelity. The glorious creatures typically live between 30 and 70 years, and they mate for life. In addition, they are known worldwide for their elaborate, joyous mating dance, which makes them a popular motif in traditional Asian textiles and fine art.
In the early 20th century, after years of over hunting and the loss of wetlands to farming, the birds were thought to be extinct. Then in 1926, a pod of 20 birds were discovered in Japan. Thanks to conservation efforts across Asia. there are now roughly 2,750 wild red-crowned cranes. While the species is still on the endangered list, much has been done to try and preserve the incredible, elegant birds.
While red-crowned cranes are typically found in Russia, China, and Mongolia during spring and summer, migrating south to Korea and Taiwan in the colder months, there is a mostly stationary population of the birds in the Kushiro Wetlands, located in eastern Hokkaidō, Japan. Local farmers have been feeding the birds for generations, causing the flock of nearly 1,000 cranes to stay in the region. The video below by BBC Earth is about this particular population of red-crowned cranes.
You can read more about the magnificent red-crowned crane on the websites of the International Crane Foundation, the Smithsonian’s National Zoo, and National Geographic.
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September 2, 2020 at 7:45 am
They are beautiful and so graceful.
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September 2, 2020 at 8:25 am
We’re fiends for water birds, but we’ve never seen anything like them!
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September 2, 2020 at 8:20 am
They’re like the most graceful ballerinas ever born! Lovely. 🙂
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September 2, 2020 at 8:26 am
And I think the video is right. It looks like they enjoy dancing!
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September 2, 2020 at 6:47 pm
lol – maybe we didn’t invent dance after all!
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September 3, 2020 at 10:05 am
That’s a great point!
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September 2, 2020 at 12:06 pm
I have seen maybe relatives here in Florida. The one I saw appeared to be eating. Guess the wind was not playing dancing music at that time. They are beautiful birds. After the rains stop and the temp drops, I am getting back to taking day time hikes again in this area. Lots of animals around here. With a short drive from my house is Paines Prairie State Park. Yes, this Park in central Florida has a herd of Buffalos. Lots of gators also. Wonderful birds. Hal
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September 2, 2020 at 4:36 pm
Buffalos! How wonderful. Since we’re in a wildlife refuge, we get a few hundred varieties of birds. Some stay around, and many use us as a stopover during migration. There’s always something to look at, but I’ve never seen anything like these creatures!
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