Sarus crane (Antigone antigone).
Image: Charles J. Sharp, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
At a glance
- IUCN category
- VU · Vulnerable
- Animal group
- Birds
- Population trend
- Decreasing
- FaunaHub record reviewed
- Checked against IUCN
- Matches source — IUCN's 2025 global assessment of Grus antigone says VulnerableChecked 2026-10-09 against IUCN's Red List export published 2026-07-28 · assessment
Conservation overview
The sarus crane is the tallest flying bird in the world, a grey crane with a red head and neck. It is assessed as Vulnerable.
It often nests in and around farmland and is famous for lifelong pair bonds.
Range & habitat
Wetlands and farmland of South Asia, Southeast Asia, and northern Australia.
Major threats
Threats below are drawn from the authoritative sources listed on this page. For the current, complete assessment, see the IUCN Red List.
- Loss and drainage of wetlands
- Collisions and poisoning
- Agricultural change
Why it matters
The world's tallest flying bird and a symbol of fidelity, the sarus crane is a flagship for conserving wetlands within farmed landscapes.
Gallery
Sarus crane (Antigone antigone); the world's tallest flying bird.
Image: Luc Viatour, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
Sources
Sources for Sarus Crane
- IUCN Red List — look up Sarus Crane (authoritative status)
- BirdLife International