Fun Hooded Crane Facts For Kids

The hooded crane (Grus monacha) is a crane species of the family Gruidae. With a characteristic long head and neck, hooded cranes are native to East Asia, particularly the grasslands and boreal forests of southeastern and south-central Siberia and Russia.

Besides Siberia, breeding grounds of the birds have also been reported in Mongolia. Non-breeding birds inhabit the natural grasslands, shallow open wetlands, and agricultural fields in northeastern Mongolia, southern Siberia, and northern China. Wintering grounds are restricted to China, South Korea, and southern Japan with a variety of habitats.

The general physical appearance of hooded cranes is very much like that of any other crane species. However, what makes this particular bird species stand out is the presence of a bare patch of red skin or hood on the white head, just above the eyes, giving it the popular name red hooded crane.

Despite being one of the smallest cranes, it is quite large with a dark gray to grayish-brown plumage.

Hooded cranes are omnivores, switching between plant-based and animal-based diets depending on whether these birds are in the natural breeding grounds or wintering habitats. These cranes are quite vocal, making their presence felt through loud and high-pitched calls.

Sadly, hooded cranes have a small global population with a Vulnerable conservation status. However, the birds have legal protection throughout their range and have significantly benefitted from several conservation efforts.

There's so much more to these wild cranes that you'll be surprised! Read on to explore! You may also like to read about other crane species such as the white-naped crane and whooping crane.

Hooded Crane Interesting Facts

What type of animal is a hooded crane?

The hooded crane (Grus monacha) is a species of crane found in Russia, China, Japan, Mongolia, and South Korea. It belongs to the crane family Gruidae.

What class of animal does a hooded crane belong to?

The hooded crane belongs to the class of birds (class Aves).

How many hooded cranes are there in the world?

As per the latest assessment by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species, there are between 6,000-15,000 mature individuals of the hooded crane species left in the wild.

Where does a hooded crane live?

The natural habitats of hooded cranes are quite diverse and differ based on whether they are wintering, breeding, or are in the non-breeding phase. The breeding grounds of these birds include forested wetlands and isolated bogs.

Non-breeding birds inhabit grasslands, open wetlands, and agricultural fields. Wintering grounds of these birds are more diverse, comprising rice paddies, grassy marshes, agricultural fields, and the shores of shallow lakes and rivers.

What is a hooded crane's habitat?

The range of hooded cranes includes several regions of East Asia. Breeding grounds of these cranes include southeastern and south-central Siberia (Russia), China, and Mongolia. On the other hand, wintering sites of the bird are in southern Japan, China, and South Korea.

In northeastern Mongolia, northern China, and southern Siberia, the non-breeders occupy agricultural fields, natural grasslands, and shallow open wetlands.

In winter, the crane population can be seen roosting and foraging along the shores of shallow lakes and rivers, grassy marshes, muddy edges of lakes, grasslands, agricultural fields, and rice paddies in China. In Japan and Korea, these cranes almost always feed in agricultural fields and at feeding stations.

In their breeding habitat, hooded cranes usually nest in moss-covered areas with scattered trees and avoid sites that are too dense or too open.

Who do hooded cranes live with?

Cranes, in general, are solitary during the breeding season, except mating pair formation. However, non-breeders are pretty gregarious and individuals come together to form large flocks.

How long does a hooded crane live?

The lifespan of hooded cranes in the wild is not known. However, birds in human care have been known to live for up to 15 years.

How do they reproduce?

Hooded cranes achieve reproductive maturity when they are about three years old. This bird forms lifelong pair bonds with its mate at quite an early age but successfully reproduces much after. Mating is preceded by elaborate body gestures and various calls. Both the male and female birds participate in building the nest with grasses, damp moss, branches, and reeds.

In April or early May, the female lays a clutch comprising two eggs. Both parents participate in incubation which lasts 27-30 days. The juvenile chicks fledge by 75 days and mature by three to four years of age. These cranes form family groups and leave the breeding grounds by August.

What is their conservation status?

According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species, the hooded crane (Grus monacha) is a Vulnerable species.

Hooded Crane Fun Facts

What do hooded cranes look like?

The hooded crane is a pretty large bird with a long neck and feet, typical of cranes. The body is mostly covered with dark gray feathers that assume a lighter shade of grayish-brown towards the upper parts.

The crane's tail, as well as primary and secondary feathers, are all black. Both the head and neck are white. The white of the neck extends halfway down to the shoulders and the front.

The white head dons a patch of bare red skin just above the eyes. The crane has black legs and toes. The bill of the crane is yellowish-brown, while the iris is a shade of orange-brown or hazel yellow.

The males and females are almost indistinguishable, except that the former has a slightly larger body. During their initial years, the juvenile birds sport a crown of black and white feathers with brownish-gray body feathers.

How cute are they?

The hooded crane cannot conventionally be regarded as cute. The long neck and slender body give it a rather elegant look.

How do they communicate?

Before mating, the hooded crane engages in an elaborate courtship dance to strengthen the pair bond. During the courtship display, male and female cranes circle each other, bobbing their head, and bowing with spread wings while giving out a series of complex and coordinated calls.

The female responds twice to every call of the male and usually keeps its wings folded at the sides. During the dance, the birds frequently toss feathers, grasses, and sticks into the air. The call of the bird is loud and high-pitched.

How big is a hooded crane?

The height of a hooded crane is in the range of 3-3.3 ft (91.4-100.5 cm). It is significantly smaller than the whooping crane (Grus americana) of North America that usually grows to a height of approximately 4-5 ft (122-152.4 cm).

How fast can a hooded crane move?

The flight speed of the hooded crane is not available. However, the larger sandhill cranes (Antigone Canadensis) of North America can fly at about 25-35 mph (40.2-56.3 kph).

How much does a hooded crane weigh?

A male hooded crane weighs between 7.3-10.6 lb (3.3-4.8 kg). The females are smaller, weighing between 7.5-8.2 lb (3.4-3.7 kg).

What are the male and female names of the species?

Male and female cranes do not have specific names.

What would you call a baby hooded crane?

Like all other birds, a baby crane would be called a chick, nestling, or fledgling.

What do they eat?

The hooded crane is an opportunistic feeder, having different feeding habits in breeding and wintering grounds. In the breeding sites, these cranes will mostly feed on frogs, salamanders, insects, berries, and aquatic plants. In winter, these birds switch to feeding on seeds, grains, rhizomes, roots, and small aquatic animals.

Are they dangerous?

The hooded crane is not known to be dangerous.

Would they make a good pet?

No, it is not a good idea to pet the hooded crane or any crane species for that matter. They are wild birds with specific habitat, nest, and feeding requirements that would be impossible to replicate in a household setting.

Did you know...

The hooded crane builds its nest in remote areas that are practically almost inaccessible. It was not until 1974 that the first nest of the hooded crane was discovered.

The hooded crane is monotypic and has no subspecies.

The East Asian red-crowned crane or Manchurian crane is one of the rarest cranes in the world.

Where are hooded cranes from?

The hooded crane is native to East Asia with a range that includes Russia, China, Mongolia, Japan, and South Korea.

Why are cranes endangered?

The primary reasons for cranes becoming endangered is habitat loss and fragmentation. Hunting and pollution also contribute to the decline in the crane population. In China and South Korea, where hooded crane birds winter, the major threat to their survival is wetland degradation and loss as a result of land reclamation projects for building dams.

Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly animal facts for everyone to discover! For more relatable content, check out these black-crowned crane facts and great snipe facts for kids.

You can even occupy yourself at home by coloring in one of our free printable crane bird coloring pages.

Second image by Francesco Veronesi