The Story
On March 28, 2018, I photographed this Red-crowned Crane (Grus japonensis) at the Zhangye National Wetland Park in Zhangye, Gansu, China. In parts of its range it is a symbol of luck, longevity and fidelity. It is a large Northeast Asian crane and one of the rarest cranes in the world. Its migratory populations breed in far eastern Russia and Northeast China and winter on the Korean Peninsula and in east-central China. IUCN lists the species as Vulnerable. The Zhangye National Wetland Park was established in 2009 on the edge of the city and covers about 4,600 hectares.
I used a Pentax K-1 and the HD PENTAX-D FA 150-450mm F4.5-5.6ED DC AW for this one, at 1/2000 sec, f/5.6, ISO 400. Wetlands like this one are a stopover for migrating birds in the dry Hexi Corridor, and their protection depends on keeping water in the Heihe.
©2018 Adam Rainoff Photographer
The bird
The Red-crowned Crane (Grus japonensis) belongs to the family Gruidae (Cranes) in the eBird/Clements taxonomy.
Source: eBird.org (opens in a new tab)
Conservation
Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List (assessment published 2021), with the population trend listed as decreasing. Source: IUCN Red List