Red-Crowned Crane
Cyanopsitta spixii
Elegant and stoic, the Red-Crowned Crane is a symbol of longevity, love, and luck across East Asia. With its snow-white plumage, black wing feathers, and vivid crimson crown, it performs intricate courtship dances that have inspired centuries of poetry and ritual. Yet habitat loss and climate change threaten its wetlands. Conservation programs in Japan, Korea, and China work tirelessly to preserve its delicate grace—for both birds and culture alike.
Critically Endangered
Population: ~1800 in the wild
Years Until Extinction: 30-40 years
Habitat
Marshes, wetlands,
rice paddies
Main Threat
Wetland loss, pollution
Description
Although the actual tail feathers are white, they are snow white in hue with black on the wing secondaries, which can nearly look like a black tail when the birds are standing.
Wingspan: 7-8 feet
Diet: Rice, frogs, small fish
Nesting: Ground nests built in marsh vegetation
Mating: Paired dances with synchronized leaps
The red-crowned crane is a graceful, long-legged bird from East Asia, celebrated in cultural traditions for its beauty and fidelity. The dance is ceremonial and balanced, with elegant steps, sweeping arms, and mirrored bowing gestures that reflect its synchronized courtship rituals. The costume is a white, flowing dress with black side accents and a subtle red neckline detail.
Red-Crowned Cranes are one of the only bird species known to perform coordinated, lifelong duet dances.
Learn the Dance
Choreography Suggestions:
Elegant lines: long leg extensions with lifted chest
Pair call: alternating arm lifts as if answering a duet
Wing fold: slow arm sweep closing to heart center
Poised and lyrical; sustained phrases with soft crescendos
Not a dancer? Co-create with AI!
Costume Ideas: White outfit with black sleeve/leg accents; small red hairpiece
Prompt Ideas: Graceful dancer as red-crowned crane: long lines, alternating arm lifts, slow fold to chest; white costume with black accents and red hair dot; marsh reeds, morning mist.
