The Siberian crane (Leucogeranus leucogeranus), also known as the Siberian white crane or the snow crane, is a bird of the family Gruidae, the cranes. They are distinctive among the cranes: adults are nearly all snowy white , except for their black primary feathers that are visible in flight, and with two breeding populations in the Arctic ...

Siberian cranes are spread throughout three populations: western, eastern, and central. These distinct populations range from Yakutia in Arctic Russia to western Siberia. The population in the east breeds in northeast Siberia and migrates to China to the Yangtze River for winter.

The Siberian Crane is the most aquatic of the crane species and is dependent on shallow wetlands and wet mud. In winter and on migration the birds primarily eat tubers of aquatic plants.

In the Western/Central population, a single crane continues to winter along the south coast of the Caspian Sea in Iran (click here to learn more about “Omid”). This population bred just south of the Ob River in Russia.

For many years a single Siberian Crane has returned to its wintering grounds in Fereydunkenar, Iran, a small town near the Caspian Sea. The locals call him “Omid,” meaning “Hope” in Farsi. This lonely Siberian Crane has indeed become the symbol of …

During winter, these cranes migrate to the Keoladeo National Park, India. Between the Kolyma and Yana rivers and south to the Morma mountains is the range of the eastern breeding population. Non-breeding birds summer in Dauria, on the border of China, Mongolia, and Russia.

During winter, the cranes migrate to subtropical wetlands, relying on large, shallow lakes, marshes, and floodplains. Historically, they wintered in northern India, parts of Iran, and China, but the western populations have largely disappeared.

During the winter months, the Siberian Crane embarks on a remarkable migratory journey, traveling thousands of miles to reach its wintering grounds. These wintering grounds can be found in several countries across Asia.

Dec 13, 2024 · A drone survey in China of wintering Siberian Cranes has revealed higher numbers of birds than expected. In 2015, an estimation of the winter population of the Critically Endangered species suggested some 3,500 individuals remained.

The last appearance of Siberian Cranes at Keoladeo was a pair that spent the winter of 2001-02. Meanwhile, at the traditional site in Iran, since the winter of 2006-07, only a single crane has appeared—an individual named Omid who has been reported returning into the 2020s.