Zoo database

Red-crowned crane

Grus japonensis

Natural diet Red-crowned crane

Red-crowned cranes are omnivorous birds that have a very diverse diet. It includes a variety of small invertebrates and vertebrates, grasses, berries and other plants. During the winter, they migrate to paddy fields where they feed on rice.

Fish
Fish
Grasses
Grasses
Insects
Insects
Invertebrates / crustaceans
Invertebrates / crustaceans
Vertebrates
Vertebrates

Feeding advice Red-crowned crane

Feed quantity per day

4%

Sample percentage calculation

If an animal weighs 8 kg and eats 4% of its body weight, it will get
 
8 x 0.04 = 0.32 kg feed in total per day

Feed composition

5% Insects and other invertebrates
80% Concentrates
15% Leafy greens and cabbages

Proportions (fresh product)

0.05 x 0.32 kg = 16 g insects and other invertebrates
0.8 x 0.32 kg = 256 g concentrates
0.15 x 0.32 kg = 48 g leafy greens and cabbages

Diet Suggestions

Recommended

Variety of leafy vegetables
Variety of insects
Soluble grit

Not recommended

Bread
Fruits

Common diseases

An unbalanced diet may result in one of these more commonly occurring diseases/conditions:

  • Pododermatitis/Bumble Foot
  • Obesity
  • Hemosiderosis
  • Metabolic bone disease

Additional advice

  • Divide the “Feed quantity per day” over at least two feeding moments per day.
  • Supplement the diet with ad libitum soluble grit as a source of calcium.
  • Insoluble grit is not required if they go outside, as they will ingest small stones (read more about grit).
  • Feeding fruits might lead to might lead to gastro-intestinal disturbances because of the high sugar level and low fiber level in cultivated fruits compared to wild fruits (read more about nutritional values of (wild) fruits and vegetables).
  • Avoid feeding bread as the high starch content may cause gastro-intestinal disturbances.
  • Stimulate foraging behaviour by using feeding puzzles and scatter feeding (read more about feed enrichment and foraging behaviour).