Crane (bird) Facts for Kids

Cranes are tall, wading birds that belong to the family Gruidae. There are 15 different types, or species, of cranes. The tallest crane is the sarus crane, which can stand as tall as 1.8 meters (about 6 feet)!

Cranes might look like herons, but they are usually bigger. They often have a partly bare head and a stronger bill. When cranes fly, their long necks stretch out in front, and their legs trail behind them.

The oldest crane fossils were found in North America. Today, cranes live all over the world, except in Antarctica and South America. Sadly, many crane populations are endangered because of hunting and their homes being destroyed.

Quick facts for kids Cranes

Common cranes (Grus grus) in Rajasthan
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Aves
Order:	Gruiformes
Family:	Gruidae Vigors, 1825
Genera
Grus Anthropoides Balearica Bugeranus

Pine, Plum and Cranes, a painting from 1759 AD by Shen Quan.

Discovering Cranes: Appearance and Size
Crane Life: Diet, Habits, and Sounds
- How Cranes Reproduce
- Crane Behavior and Self-Defense
The History of Cranes: Evolution
Protecting Cranes: Threats and Conservation
Related pages
Images for kids
See also

Discovering Cranes: Appearance and Size

Cranes are known for their long legs and tall bodies. They are usually brown, white, or gray in color. There are more than 15 different kinds of crane species.

The whooping crane (Grus americana) is the tallest bird in America. Adult whooping cranes can stand 5 feet (about 1.5 meters) tall. Their wingspan can reach up to 7 feet (about 2.1 meters) wide.

Crane Life: Diet, Habits, and Sounds

Cranes are omnivores, which means they eat both plants and animals. Their diet includes many kinds of plants, reptiles, small mammals, and other birds. A crane usually lives for about 20 to 25 years.

Cranes are very social birds and often live in large flocks. In some parts of Asia, especially Japan, certain crane species are considered holy birds.

How Cranes Reproduce

Cranes typically build their nests in marshy areas. They usually lay two eggs at a time. Cranes are known for making loud sounds that can be heard from far away.

When cranes are ready to mate, they perform special dances. These dances include quick steps, high leaps, stretching, and bowing. Baby cranes, called chicks, grow very quickly. They develop their flight feathers when they are two to four months old. Cranes are very vocal and use many different types of calls to communicate. They also use their bodies to send messages to each other.

Crane Behavior and Self-Defense

All cranes are quite good at defending themselves. They are usually large birds and can peck, kick, and hit opponents with their wings. Cranes are also territorial, meaning they protect their space. Males will fight even more strongly during mating seasons. Zookeepers sometimes use clear shields to protect themselves from crane attacks.

The History of Cranes: Evolution

Cranes are an ancient type of wading bird. The first clear fossils of cranes come from the Eocene epoch. Their closest relatives are the rails (family Rallidae), which are also in the order Gruiformes. Most other groups in the Gruiformes are birds that cannot fly. These birds lived in forests, so we have very few fossils of them.

Protecting Cranes: Threats and Conservation

The biggest dangers to cranes are hunting and the destruction of their habitat. Cranes need large areas to live and thrive. Because of these threats, all cranes are protected by international agreements.

Images for kids

The bare skin on a sandhill crane's face can change color or expand when the bird is excited.
The long, coiled trachea that helps the sarus crane make its loud trumpeting calls.
Eogruidae was an extinct group of mostly flightless stem-cranes. This is Ergilornis.
Demoiselle cranes in Mongolia. These birds migrate to Northern India in winter.
Common cranes in Israel. Many crane species gather in large groups during migration.
A pair of black-necked cranes looking for food.
A pair of blue cranes showing off.
A Grey crowned crane at Martin Mere, UK.
Red-crowned cranes.
"Departure of Cranes," an oil painting by Józef Chełmoński from 1870.
An illustration from the 13th-century Harley Bestiary showing the legend of vigilant cranes.
The "Turtle Carrying Crane on its Back" statue at Văn Miếu in Hà Nội, Vietnam.
Dwarves fighting cranes in northern Sweden, from a 16th-century drawing.
Cranes folded from origami paper.
Cranes and Pines, a 19th-century Korean artwork called Songha.
Tortoise Has New Year's Dream of Crane and Pine, from around 1850.
A brass crane perched on a tortoise, from the Oxford College Archive.