About this species
The Siberian Crane (Leucogeranus leucogeranus) is a large migratory wetland bird that breeds in the Arctic tundra of northeastern Siberia. Within the Central Asian Flyway (CAF), the now nearly extinct western/central population historically migrated from western Siberia through Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Afghanistan, and Pakistan to winter in Keoladeo National Park, India, while the eastern population migrates to China along the East Asian–Australasian Flyway. The species depends almost exclusively on wetlands throughout its annual cycle, using marshes, shallow lakes, floodplains, and wet grasslands for breeding, stopover, and wintering. It feeds primarily on aquatic plant tubers, rhizomes, roots, and other vegetation, supplemented by small aquatic animals. Globally classified as Critically Endangered, the species faces severe threats from wetland loss and degradation, hydrological alterations, human disturbance, hunting along migration routes, and the extremely small size of the western population, making international conservation efforts essential for its survival. The Siberian Crane is revered in several cultures along its flyway as a symbol of longevity, fidelity, and the conservation of wetlands.
