About this species
The Siberian Crane (Leucogeranus leucogeranus) is a large, almost entirely white crane with a striking red facial mask and distinctive black primaries visible only in flight. Adults reach 135 cm in height and have a wingspan of more than 2 metres.
The species is highly specialised, spending most of its life in shallow freshwater wetlands where it feeds on tubers, sedges, fish and invertebrates. It breeds in the tundra wetlands of north-eastern Siberia and was historically known for two long-distance migrations: the eastern flyway to Poyang Lake in China, and the western/central flyway to the Keoladeo National Park in India.
Only the eastern population (~3,500–4,000 birds) now survives in the wild. The last wild Siberian Crane recorded in India was in 2002.
