The Cranes

Status Survey and Conservation Action Plan

Conservation Status

Table 1.1 presents proposed threat categories for the cranes under the revised IUCN Red List Categories system (IUCN 1994; see Appendix 3). The Red List Categories proposed here are based on information gathered during the preparation of this Action Plan, and are updated from those published in Birds to Watch 2. However, the updating process was not completed in time for the proposed categories to be published in the 1996 IUCN Red List. The Crane Specialist Group will be working with IUCN and BirdLife International to review and finalize the categories, and invites comments on the listings proposed here. Table 1.2 summarizes the current estimates of population levels and trends presented in the species accounts in Section 2 of this document.

The cranes are among the world’s most endangered families of birds. Under the new categories, eleven of the fifteen species are likely to be listed as Threatened (which includes the categories Critically Endangered, Endangered, and Vulnerable). As applied to the cranes, the new criteria tend to stress recent trends in populations in addition to total numbers. Thus, the Blue Crane is listed as Critically Endangered due to its steep decline in recent decades. Five species (Wattled, Siberian, Sarus, Whooping and Red-crowned) are listed as Endangered, and five others (Black and Grey Crowned, White-naped, Hooded, and Black-necked) as Vulnerable. The remaining species (Demoiselle, Sandhill, Brolga, and Eurasian) are considered Lower Risk due to their higher population numbers, although several subspecies and populations are listed as Threatened to varying degrees.

Three species—the Whooping, Red-crowned, and Siberian Cranes—now exist in such low numbers (205, 1700-2000, and 2900-3000 respectively) that special steps, including captive propagation, are being taken to assure their survival. The Whooping Crane, in particular, has been among the world’s most carefully monitored and managed wildlife species since reaching the brink of extinction in the 1940s (Allen 1952, Doughty 1989, Edwards et al. 1994, USFWS 1994). The intensive conservation work undertaken for these species reflects the vulnerability of their small populations and restricted habitats. The Blue, Wattled, Sarus, White-naped, Hooded, and Black-necked Cranes still exist in the low thousands. However, unless these birds and their habitats are effectively protected, they could easily follow the path of the more critically imperiled species. For example, South Africa’s endemic Blue Crane still numbers about 21,000. However, since 1980 the species has declined significantly in many portions of its range due to intentional and unintentional poisoning, as well as the extensive loss of its grassland habitat to afforestation (Allan 1994).

Although the two Crowned Cranes are threatened to a lesser degree at the species level, they are nonetheless of growing concern from a conservation standpoint. The Black Crowned Crane has declined precipitously in much of its range in sub-Saharan West African, mainly as a result of heavy human population and development pressures, compounded by long-term drought in the region. The species has been, or is on the verge of being, extirpated from several countries, including Nigeria, where it is the national bird. The Grey Crowned Cranes face somewhat similar pressures in eastern Africa.

Other cranes are threatened at the subspecies and population levels. The Indian Sarus Crane, though still relatively common in northern India, is declining in numbers, and has been extirpated from much of its historic range. The Eastern Sarus Crane has been reduced to no more than 1500 birds in Southeast Asia. Although the Sandhill Crane is the most abundant of the world’s cranes, two of its six subspecies—the Mississippi and Cuban Sandhill Cranes—number only about 120 and 300 birds respectively. Several other species include small isolated populations whose conservation status and needs are little known. These include, for example, populations of the Eurasian Crane in Turkey and Tibet, the Sarus Crane in Australia, and the Brolga in New Guinea.

The most abundant and extensively distributed crane species—the Sandhill, Demoiselle, and Eurasian—offer other conservation lessons and challenges. All three of these species have experienced declines, sometimes severe, in portions of their historic ranges. Some populations of these species have also recovered dramatically. For example, the Eastern population of Greater Sandhill Cranes in the Great Lakes region of North America and the Eurasian Cranes in western Europe have increased steadily in numbers in recent decades (Dietzman and Swengel 1994, Prange 1989). At the same time, these species are being forced to adapt to dynamic forces affecting their distribution, habitats, and population structure. All three species have been affected to one degree or another by fragmentation of formerly more contiguous populations. This has likely occurred, for example, in the southeastern United States, where resident Sandhill Cranes were more abundant in the past. Similarly, the Demoiselle and Eurasian Crane populations across Eurasia are becoming increasingly concentrated in discrete populations.

In addition, the future of these abundant species is unpredictable due to accelerating changes in their habitats. Changes in land use in western Europe will play a key role in determining the future of the Eurasian Crane in that portion of the species’ range. Similarly, the rapid conversion of the Eurasian steppes to cropland is forcing the Demoiselle Crane to adapt to artificial conditions during its breeding period (Kovshar et al. 1995, Winter et al. 1995). Changes in hydrology and vegetation along the Platte River in the central United States have affected habitat conditions in an area used by approximately 80% of the total population of the Sandhill Crane during spring migration (Currier et al. 1985, Vanderwalker 1987). Large-scale and long-term factors such as these are of vital importance to these species if they are to avoid the declines that have affected the more endangered members of their family.

Table 1.1 Proposed conservation status of cranes under the revised IUCN categories (IUCN 1994).

See Appendix 3 for an explanation of the revised categories and criteria.

Taxon		IUCN Category	Criteria

Black Crowned Crane		Vulnerable	A1c,d A2c,d
	West African Crowned Crane	Endangered	A1c,d
	Sudan Crowned Crane	Vulnerable	A1c,d A2c,d

Grey Crowned Crane		Vulnerable	A2c,d,e
	South African Crowned Crane	Endangered	A1a,b,c,d,e
	East African Crowned Crane	Vulnerable	A2c,d,e

Blue Crane		Critically Endangered	A1a,c,e
	South Africa pop.	Critically Endangered	A1a,c,e
	Namibia pop.	Critically Endangered	D

Demoiselle Crane		Lower Risk (lc)
	Atlas pop.	Critically Endangered	A1a,c,d A2c,d C1 C2b D
	Turkey pop.	Critically Endangered	A1a,c,d A2c,d C2b D
	Black Sea pop.	Endangered	A1c C2a
	Kalmykia pop.	Lower Risk (lc)
	Kazakhstan/C. Asia pop.	Lower Risk (lc)
	E Asia pop.	Vulnerable	A1c

Wattled Crane		Endangered	A1b,c,d,e A2c,d,e
	Ethiopia	Endangered	D
	SC Africa pop.	Endangered	A2c
	South Africa pop.	Critically Endangered	C1

Siberian Crane		Endangered	A1c C1 C2b
	Eastern pop.	Endangered	A1c C1 C2b
	Central pop.	Critically Endangered	A1a,c,d A2b,d B1c,e C1 C2b D E
	Western pop.	Critically Endangered	A1a,c A2b,c B1 B2e C1 C2b D E

Sandhill Crane		Lower Risk (lc)
	Lesser Sandhill Crane	Lower Risk (lc)
	Canadian Sandhill Crane	Lower Risk (lc)
	Greater Sandhill Crane	Lower Risk (lc)
	Florida Sandhill Crane	Lower Risk (lc)
	Mississippi Sandhill Crane	Critically Endangered	C2b
	Cuban Sandhill Crane	Critically Endangered	C2a

Sarus Crane		Endangered	A1b,c
	Indian Sarus Crane	Endangered	A1b,c
	Eastern Sarus Crane	Endangered	A1b,c,d,e
	Australian Sarus Crane	Data Deficient
	Philippine Sarus Crane	Extinct

Brolga		Lower Risk (lc)
	Northern pop.	Lower Risk (lc)
	Southern pop.	Vulnerable	C1b,c D
	New Guinea pop.	Data Deficient

White-naped Crane		Vulnerable	A1c,d A2c C1

Hooded Crane		Vulnerable	A2c C1

Eurasian Crane		Lower Risk (lc)
	W Europe pop.	Lower Risk (lc)
	E Europe pop.	Lower Risk (lc)
	European Russia pop.	Vulnerable	A1a,c,d
	Turkey pop.	Data Deficient
	W Siberia pop.	Lower Risk (nt)
	C Siberia/N. China pop.	Vulnerable	A1 C1
	Tibet Plateau pop.	Data Deficient

Whooping Crane		Endangered	D

Black-necked Crane		Vulnerable	A1b,c,d A2c C1

Red-crowned Crane		Endangered	C1
	Mainland pop.	Endangered	A1c,d A2c C1
	Hokkaido pop.	Endangered	C2b

Table 1.2 Population estimates for crane taxa

Species

Subspecies/population/
Wintering subpopulation Number Trend

Black Crowned Crane

B. p. pavonina 11,50-17,500 Declining. Extirpated (or nearly extirpated) in some nations.

B. p. ceciliae 55,000-60,000 Uncertain. Generally stable, but possibly declining locally. Still fairly abundant in Sudan.

Total 66,500-77,500 Declining

Grey Crowned Crane

B. r. gibbericeps 75,000-85,000 Declining

B. r. regulorum approx. 10,000 Unknown

Total 85,000-95,000 Declining

Demoiselle Crane

Atlas (N. Africa) population <50 Declining

Black Sea population approx. 500 Declining

Turkey population <100 Unknown

Kalmykia population 30-35,000 Stable

Kazakhstan/Central Asia population 100,000 Stable to increasing

Siberia/East Asia population 70-100,000 Stable to declining

Total 200,00-240,000 Stable

Blue Crane

Southern population 21,000 Declining

Namibia (Etosha Pan) population <100 Stable

Total 21,000 Declining

Wattled Crane 13-15,000 Declining throughout range

South Africa population 250-300 Declining

South-central Africa population 13,000-15,000 Declining

Ethiopia population several hundred Unknown

Total 13,000-15,000 Declining

Siberian Crane (winter count)

Eastern population 2900-3000 Unknown

Central population 4 Steadily declining. Observed on the traditional wintering grounds in February 1996 after a two-year absence.

Western population 9 Holding at 9-11 birds on the wintering grounds since mid- 1980's. Highly vulnerable.

Total 2900-3000 Unknown. C and W populations highly vulnerable.

Sandhill Crane

G. c. canadensis Probably stable

and

G. c. rowani approx. 450,000¹ Unknown due to difficulty in distinguishing from Lesser Sandhills G. c. canadensis; probably stable.

G. c. tabida 65-75,000 Increasing rapidly in the eastern portion of its range. Generally stable elsewhere. Some western populations may be declining.

G. c. pratensis 4,000-6,000 Generally stable, with local increases and declines. Includes the Okefenokee portion of the population (about 400 individuals).

G. c. pulla 120 Numbers in wild increasing through augmentation. Reproduction n the wild is below replacement level.

G. c. nesiotes 300 Generally stable. New populations recently discovered.

Total 520,000 Stable to increasing.

Sarus Crane

G. a. antigone 8,000-10,000 Declining

G. a. sharpii 500-1500 Unknown; likely declining

G. a. gilli <5,000 Unknown

Total 13,500-15,500 Declining

Brolga

Northern Australia 20,000-100,000 Generally stable

Southern Australia approx. 1000 Stable to declining

New Guinea Unknown Unknown

Total 20-100,000 Generally stable; possibly declining in SE Australia

White-naped Crane (winter counts)

Japan (Izumi) 1800-2100 Increasing

Korean Peninsula 100-200 Declining

China (Poyang Lake) approx. 3,000 Unknown

Total 4900-5300 Stable to declining (based on loss of breeding habitat)

Hooded Crane (winter counts)

Hubei (China) up to 425 Unknown

Dongting Lake (China) up to 200 Unknown

Poyang Lake (China) up to 360 Unknown

Shengjin Lake (China) 300 Stable, but habitat declining

West Taegu (South Korea) 180-250 Unknown

Yashiro (Japan) 50 Declining

Izumi (Japan) approx. 8,000 Stable

Total 9400-9600 Stable

Eurasian Crane

West European population 60-70,000 Stable to increasing

East European population >60,000 Stable to increasing

European Russia population approx. 35,000 Declining

Turkish population (non-migratory) 200-500 Declining

West Siberia population approx. 55,000 Declining

C Siberia/NE China population 5,000 Declining

Tibetan Plateau population 1000 Stable

Total 220,000-250,000 Increasing overall, but with local declines

Whooping Crane (adult birds as of August 1996)

Aransas-Wood buffalo population 150 Increasing slowly

Rocky Mountain population 3 Declining

Florida population 52 Increasing through artificial augmentation

Wild population sub-total 205

Patuxent Env. Science Center 39

International Crane Foundation 29

Calgary Zoo 18

San Antonio Zoo 4

White Oak Conservation Center 1

Captive population sub-total 91

Total 296

Black-necked Crane (winter counts)

NE Yunnan/W Guizhou 1300-1600 Unknown

NW Yunnan <100 Stable to declining

SC Tibet 3900 Stable

E Tibet <20 Declining

Bhutan 360 Stable

India-Arunachal Pradesh <10 Declining

Total 5600-6000 Stable but vulnerable

Red-crowned Crane (winter counts)

Mainland China 600-800 Unknown

North Korea 300-350 Increasing

South Korea 200-300 Unknown

Japan 594 Stable to increasing

Total 1700-2000 Stableto declining (based on loss of breeding habitat)

¹Population estimates of the mid-continental population sof Sandhill Cranes do not distinguish between Lesser and Canadian Sandhill cranes (a relatively small number of Greater Sandhill Cranes are also included in the total). Estimates are based on 3-year running averages of spring counts conducted on the Platte River during migration. The figure given here represents the 1995 survey results for the midcontinental populations (420,866) plus about 25,000 Lesser Sandhill Cranes from California.

Previous Section--Cranes and People
Return to Contents
Next Section--Threats

Table 1.2 Population estimates for crane taxa

Species
	Subspecies/population/ Wintering subpopulation	Number	Trend

Black Crowned Crane
	B. p. pavonina	11,50-17,500	Declining. Extirpated (or nearly extirpated) in some nations.
	B. p. ceciliae	55,000-60,000	Uncertain. Generally stable, but possibly declining locally. Still fairly abundant in Sudan.
	Total	66,500-77,500	Declining

Grey Crowned Crane
	B. r. gibbericeps	75,000-85,000	Declining
	B. r. regulorum	approx. 10,000	Unknown
	Total	85,000-95,000	Declining

Demoiselle Crane
	Atlas (N. Africa) population	<50	Declining
	Black Sea population	approx. 500	Declining
	Turkey population	<100	Unknown
	Kalmykia population	30-35,000	Stable
	Kazakhstan/Central Asia population	100,000	Stable to increasing
	Siberia/East Asia population	70-100,000	Stable to declining
	Total	200,00-240,000	Stable

Blue Crane
	Southern population	21,000	Declining
	Namibia (Etosha Pan) population	<100	Stable
	Total	21,000	Declining

Wattled Crane		13-15,000	Declining throughout range
	South Africa population	250-300	Declining
	South-central Africa population	13,000-15,000	Declining
	Ethiopia population	several hundred	Unknown
	Total	13,000-15,000	Declining

Siberian Crane (winter count)
	Eastern population	2900-3000	Unknown
	Central population	4	Steadily declining. Observed on the traditional wintering grounds in February 1996 after a two-year absence.
	Western population	9	Holding at 9-11 birds on the wintering grounds since mid- 1980's. Highly vulnerable.
	Total	2900-3000	Unknown. C and W populations highly vulnerable.

Sandhill Crane
	G. c. canadensis		Probably stable
	and
	G. c. rowani	approx. 450,000¹	Unknown due to difficulty in distinguishing from Lesser Sandhills G. c. canadensis; probably stable.
	G. c. tabida	65-75,000	Increasing rapidly in the eastern portion of its range. Generally stable elsewhere. Some western populations may be declining.
	G. c. pratensis	4,000-6,000	Generally stable, with local increases and declines. Includes the Okefenokee portion of the population (about 400 individuals).
	G. c. pulla	120	Numbers in wild increasing through augmentation. Reproduction n the wild is below replacement level.
	G. c. nesiotes	300	Generally stable. New populations recently discovered.
	Total	520,000	Stable to increasing.

Sarus Crane
	G. a. antigone	8,000-10,000	Declining
	G. a. sharpii	500-1500	Unknown; likely declining
	G. a. gilli	<5,000	Unknown
	Total	13,500-15,500	Declining

Brolga
	Northern Australia	20,000-100,000	Generally stable
	Southern Australia	approx. 1000	Stable to declining
	New Guinea	Unknown	Unknown
	Total	20-100,000	Generally stable; possibly declining in SE Australia

White-naped Crane (winter counts)
	Japan (Izumi)	1800-2100	Increasing
	Korean Peninsula	100-200	Declining
	China (Poyang Lake)	approx. 3,000	Unknown
	Total	4900-5300	Stable to declining (based on loss of breeding habitat)

Hooded Crane (winter counts)
	Hubei (China)	up to 425	Unknown
	Dongting Lake (China)	up to 200	Unknown
	Poyang Lake (China)	up to 360	Unknown
	Shengjin Lake (China)	300	Stable, but habitat declining
	West Taegu (South Korea)	180-250	Unknown
	Yashiro (Japan)	50	Declining
	Izumi (Japan)	approx. 8,000	Stable
	Total	9400-9600	Stable

Eurasian Crane
	West European population	60-70,000	Stable to increasing
	East European population	>60,000	Stable to increasing
	European Russia population	approx. 35,000	Declining
	Turkish population (non-migratory)	200-500	Declining
	West Siberia population	approx. 55,000	Declining
	C Siberia/NE China population	5,000	Declining
	Tibetan Plateau population	1000	Stable
	Total	220,000-250,000	Increasing overall, but with local declines

Whooping Crane (adult birds as of August 1996)
	Aransas-Wood buffalo population	150	Increasing slowly
	Rocky Mountain population	3	Declining
	Florida population	52	Increasing through artificial augmentation
	Wild population sub-total	205
	Patuxent Env. Science Center	39
	International Crane Foundation	29
	Calgary Zoo	18
	San Antonio Zoo	4
	White Oak Conservation Center	1
	Captive population sub-total	91
	Total	296

Black-necked Crane (winter counts)
	NE Yunnan/W Guizhou	1300-1600	Unknown
	NW Yunnan	<100	Stable to declining
	SC Tibet	3900	Stable
	E Tibet	<20	Declining
	Bhutan	360	Stable
	India-Arunachal Pradesh	<10	Declining
	Total	5600-6000	Stable but vulnerable

Red-crowned Crane (winter counts)
	Mainland China	600-800	Unknown
	North Korea	300-350	Increasing
	South Korea	200-300	Unknown
	Japan	594	Stable to increasing
	Total	1700-2000	Stableto declining (based on loss of breeding habitat)

¹Population estimates of the mid-continental population sof Sandhill Cranes do not distinguish between Lesser and Canadian Sandhill cranes (a relatively small number of Greater Sandhill Cranes are also included in the total). Estimates are based on 3-year running averages of spring counts conducted on the Platte River during migration. The figure given here represents the 1995 survey results for the midcontinental populations (420,866) plus about 25,000 Lesser Sandhill Cranes from California.