This snow-white graceful and majestic bird is an adornment of many nature reserves. However, its population in natural conditions is steadily declining. The White Crane (Siberian Crane) breeds only in limited areas of the northern territories of Russia.
Sterkh: external features
Sterkh belongs to the genus Cranes, family Cranes. The bird is large - its height ranges from one hundred and forty to one hundred and sixty centimeters, weight is about eight kilograms. The wingspan of a crane ranges from two hundred and ten to two hundred and thirty centimeters, depending on the population.
Only during winter migrations, white cranes make long-distance flights. The Siberian Crane nests and breeds in Russia. These birds are closely monitored by ornithologists.
Color
The White Crane (Siberian Crane) has a characteristic feature that makes it difficult to confuse it with another bird - a long red beak with sharp notches at the ends. There are no feathers around the eyes and beak, and the skin is painted in rich red andvisible from afar.
On the body the feathers arranged in two rows are white, on the inside of the wings at the ends two rows are black. The legs are long, pinkish in color. They are great helpers for the Siberian Crane in wetlands: they allow you to move over bumps in a viscous bog.
Chicks' eyes are blue at first, then they turn yellow. The White Crane (Siberian Crane) lives for about seventy years without forming subspecies.
Habitat
Today, there are two populations of cranes of this species. One lives in the Arkhangelsk region, and the second - in the Yamalo-Nenets district. This is a very cautious bird - Siberian Crane. The white crane, a brief description of which is given in the article, does its best to avoid meeting people, and this is not in vain: after all, poachers in many areas feel impunity.
If a bird notices a person, it will leave the nest. The Siberian Crane can throw not only the masonry, but also the already hatched chicks. Therefore, it is not recommended to disturb the birds during this period. The White Crane (Siberian Crane), which breeds only in Russia, can winter in Azerbaijan and India, Afghanistan and Mongolia, China and Pakistan. In early March, the cranes return to their homeland.
In Yakutia, the Siberian Crane goes to remote areas of the tundra and chooses marshy swamps and impenetrable forests for accommodation. Here he lives until winter migration.
Food
Many naturalists are interested in the question: “What does the white crane (Siberian crane) eat?” ATThe diet of this beautiful bird includes both plant and animal food. Along with aquatic plants: tubers, cotton grass, cranberries and sedges, which are very fond of Siberian Cranes, they will not refuse to eat large insects, eggs of other birds, rodents, alien chicks, invertebrates and fish. In winter, during migration, the Siberian Cranes are limited only to plant foods. It should be noted that these birds never harm agricultural land.
Reproduction
White cranes are monogamous birds. Pairs form when the cranes are six years old. In the middle or end of May, a formed pair of birds chooses a place for future nesting. Like other types of cranes, the couple celebrates their reunion with loud singing. The cry of these birds is characteristic - drawn out, high and clear. It distinguishes Siberian Cranes from other species.
The Siberian Cranes build nests in open water. They are well-compacted platforms made of sedge stalks. A prerequisite when choosing a nesting site is the presence of fresh water, and the reservoir must be at least 40 centimeters deep.
It is interesting to watch the marriage dance of the couple. At first, both birds throw back their heads and make melodic, complex and lingering sounds. Performing his "wedding" song, the male spreads his wings wide, while his chosen one keeps them folded. At this time, white cranes begin their dance, which consists of bowing, jumping, tossing twigs and flapping their wings.
Nest building is done by both parents. Usually the female lays two gray eggs with small dark spots. In a dry year, there may be one. The offspring of the female incubates for twenty-nine days. At this time, the male vigilantly guards the nest.
Hatched offspring begin a difficult struggle for survival. As a result, one largest and strongest chick remains. After seventy-five days, he develops brown-red feathers. They turn into snow-white beauties only by the age of three.
Red Book of Russia: White Crane (Siberian Crane)
Sterkh is the largest bird of its family. It leads a predominantly aquatic lifestyle, which makes it difficult to save this species from extinction. Now the number of the Yakut population does not exceed three thousand individuals. For the West Siberian Siberian Cranes, the situation is critical: there are no more than twenty individuals left.
The protection of white cranes was seriously taken up in 1970. Numerous nurseries and reserve funds were created, where ornithologists grow these birds from eggs. They also train the chicks to fly long distances. Nevertheless, the threat remains that the white crane (Siberian Crane) will completely disappear. The Red Book (international) also filled up its lists with this endangered species. Hunting for these birds is completely prohibited.
Hope for rebirth
Since the mid-nineties of the last century, more than a hundred white cranes have been released into the natural environment,grown in nurseries. Unfortunately, such chicks take root poorly (no more than 20%). The reason for such a high mortality is the lack of navigational orientation, as well as flight training, which is given by parents in natural conditions.
American scientists tried to fix this problem. They set up an experiment, the essence of which was to guide the chicks along the route using motorized hang gliders. In Russia, they developed a similar program, which they called the “Flight of Hope.”
Five motorized hang gliders were built in 2006, and with their help, young Siberian Cranes were taken along a long route from Yamal to Uzbekistan, where the Common Cranes lived, and the Siberian Cranes went to spend the winter with them. In 2012, President V. Putin participated in such a program. But for some reason, this time the Siberian Cranes did not accept the Siberian Cranes, and ornithologists had to bring seven chicks to the Belozersky Reserve in Tyumen.
Interesting facts
- In India, the Siberian Crane is called the lily bird. Indira Gandhi issued a decree (1981), according to which the Keoladeo Park was created in the wintering place of white cranes, in which the strictest regime is observed and favorable conditions are created for the protection of these magnificent birds.
- White Crane (Siberian Crane) overcomes the longest distance in comparison with other types of cranes: more than five and a half thousand kilometers. Twice a year, these cranes fly over nine countries.
- In Dagestan, whose territory the Siberian Cranes cross during migration, a beautiful legend has appeared thatSiberian Cranes are the souls of dead warriors. The legend formed the basis of the famous song, the words of which were written by Rasul Gamzatov.
- During the mating season, white cranes sleep no more than two hours a day.
- For the Mansi and Khanty peoples, the white crane is a sacred bird, an ancestral totem, an indispensable character of all ritual rites.
- Khanty will never disturb the Siberian Crane: there is an unspoken taboo against visiting the places where white cranes nest in the spring and summer.
- The most effective methods of breeding these birds ornithologists consider the method of "adoptive parents" and rearing young animals in the reserve. In the first case, the eggs of the white cranes can be planted in the nests of the common cranes. In the second, the chicks are raised in the reserve, isolated from human contact. Then they are released to adult wild cranes.
Ornithologists continue to develop activities aimed at the conservation of this magnificent bird. We hope that the white crane (Siberian Crane), the description of which we have presented in this article, will be preserved and the beautiful bird will delight us with its appearance for a long time.
