Two red-crowned cranes in Kushiro, Hokkaido, Japan

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Two red-crowned cranes in Kushiro, Hokkaido, Japan

Presenting one of the rarest cranes in the world: the red-crowned crane. Featured in today's image, this bird enchants with its beauty and cultural significance. Also known as the Manchurian crane, it is celebrated as a symbol of luck, longevity and loyalty. These cranes are true foodies with a taste for variety! While their diet hasn't been fully explored, we know they munch on everything from rice, carrots and acorns to water plants like reeds. They also enjoy a meaty menu of fish (carp and goldfish are favourites), amphibians, insects and even small reptiles, birds and rodents.

In Japan, the population is mostly non-migratory, with those in Hokkaidō making a short hop of 150 kilometres to their winter spots. On the mainland, however, these cranes are long-distance travellers. By February, they head back to their spring territories, settling in by April. Come fall, they pack up in October and November, wrapping up their migration by mid-December.