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Bird Sightings : Hebrides : Common Crane

Common Crane

Grus grus

Photography © Debbie Bozkurt
Steinish - Isle of Lewis - Outer Hebrides (Western Isles)
June 2008

 

Our Common Crane photographs

Common Crane Adult in summer plumage June	Common Crane Adult in summer plumage June	Common Crane Adult in summer plumage June	Common Crane Adult in summer plumage June	Common Crane	Common Crane Flight	Common Crane

 

 

• Common Crane
• Grus grus
• UK: AMBER LIST 4 pairs (summer) BTO
• WI: Very rare visitor (five or less records). Previous record 1906
• Breeds: Remote places. Nest mound of vegetation. Reedbeds in lakes, Bogs in Northern Forests. Scandinavia, Russia
• Winters: Spain
• Diet: Plant material, insects
• Huge bird - up to 6 feet tall! (Length 96 -119cm, wing-span 180 -222cm). Very long legs, long narrow neck. Ostrich-like bulky "tail" plume (dark). Plumage mostly pale blue-grey, flight feathers grey-black. Breeding adult often has brownish stain on back. Head & upper neck black & white. Hindcrown bare, red coloured. Sexes similar.

 

In June 2008 a Common crane came to Lewis, it has been sighted near Stornoway in the Steinish area, on a ploughed and sown field near the airport and also around Melbost farm.

 

Read more about the common crane sighting in Lewis:
http://www.western-isles.info/page1532.html

 

Common Crane records in the Western Isles

Very rare visitor (five or less records)
Previous record 1906

The chart below shows how abundant the Common Crane is during a month or when you are more likely to see it.

J	F	M	A	M	J	J	A	S	O	N	D

(Source: Outer Hebrides Birds Checklist)

Common Crane records in the UK

"For common cranes I notice you have designated them as Accidental for the UK. I agree they are for the WI (depending on which version of the definition for 'Accidental' is eg. Accidental species are those that are sighted approximately every five years or less. Though I seem to remember common crane was seen last year at or near Steinish.

They breed in the Norfolk Broads and have done so in small numbers 3-4 pairs since 1981 tho' I don't know if it has been every year since.

This RSPB web page reckons ca. 6 pairs http://www.rspb.org.uk/wildlife/birdguide/name/c/crane/index.asp

Then of course there is the work done by WWT to re-introduce them to UK ongoing as well. http://www.wwt.org.uk/text/464/eurasian_cranes.html"

Richard Holland

 

 

Debbie's online photo album

Other local bird photographs

Sources of information for the bird sightings section

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