Tall, elegant, and unmistakably trumpeting, the common crane (Grus grus), also known as the Eurasian crane, is one of Europe’s most evocative wetland birds.
The common crane (Grus grus) is a tall, graceful wetland bird native to Eurasia. Adults stand about 110–130 cm (3 ½–4 ft) high, with a wingspan of 180–240 cm (6–8 ft) and a slim, straight bill. Their plumage is soft slate‑grey, set off by a black throat “bib” and a white stripe that sweeps from the eye down the neck. A bare patch of crimson skin crowns the head, most vivid in the breeding season.
Extinct in Denmark for almost 100 years
After 20th‑century declines from drainage and persecution, European numbers are climbing thanks to wetland restoration and protection; the global population now exceeds 700 000. Also in Denmark the common crane continues to thrive in Denmark. The shy bird with the spectacular dance was extinct in Denmark for almost 100 years, but is now back as a stable breeding bird with around 1000 breeding pairs.
Whether glimpsed as a soaring V‑formation or watched dancing on a misty bog, the common crane embodies the wild pulse of Denmarks wetlands and the promise of their recovery.
The spring migration is best seen over the islands of Lolland-Falster and Zealand, while in the autumn the most cranes are usually seen over Bornholm.
One of the best places to see cranes in the autumn is in the Vejlerne Nature Reserve in North Jutland. A large part of the North Jutland cranes are gathering here before their migration in October continues south.
In recent years, and in line with climate change, many hundreds of cranes have begun to winter in Denmark, where they gather at large common roosting sites.
Sleek yet powerful, the common crane is both an emblem of wilderness and a conservation success story.
