Common Crane

The common crane, or Eurasian crane, is a crane 100–130cm long with a 180–240cm wingspan and a weight of 3–6.1kg, the nominate subspecies averaging about 5.4kg and the eastern subspecies about 4.6kg. It is slate-grey overall, with a blackish forehead and lores, a bare red crown and a white streak extending from behind the eyes to the upper back. It is darkest on the back and rump and palest on the breast and wings (Wikipedia, general species account).

It breeds in Europe and across the Palearctic to Siberia. A third major wintering region, mainly used by birds breeding in central Russia, is the northern half of the Indian subcontinent, including Pakistan. Every two years, before migration, the adult undergoes a complete moult and is flightless for about six weeks. It has a loud, piercing, trumpeting call given in flight and display (Wikipedia, general species account).