The second crane census estimated the wintering population in Spain to be 190,743 specimens.That’s 7,000 more than the first census last January, which counted 183,084 cranes.
It was announced to EFE this Sunday by José Antonio Román, who is responsible for the census prepared by volunteers and coordinated by the ‘Grus Extremadura’ Association throughout Spain, and according to the data obtained in these censuses, the total eleven autonomous communities more or less record the presence of these birds..
Most of the wintering cranes in Spain are concentrated in Extremadura.reaching 82,969 copies and Castile la Mancha It is the second group chosen by ordinary cranes to spend the winter, with 38,472 people concentrated, Aragon It was consolidated as the third most important region in terms of wintering cranes with 32,409 specimens.
Another region that hosts the highest number of samples in its region is Andalusia21,898 samples were recorded, Navarre And Castile and Leon 7,645 and 7,231 were calculated, respectively.
Madrid with 42 copies, Catalonia 38, La Rioja 31, Valencian Community with 16 and Balearic Islands with two complete the total data of the population of wintering cranes.
Regarding the January data, Román pointed out that the second census revealed: Populations in Navarra and Castilla-La Mancha are preserved, while increasing in Castilla y León, Extremadura and Andalusia. And on the contrary, Its population is declining in Aragon, the Balearic Islands, the Commonwealth of Valencia and Catalonia..
This is due to “the logical process followed by the overwintering population of this species, which gradually disperses to traditional wintering grounds.”
More examples in the meadows of Córdoba
The highest elevation in Andalusia is meadows. Cordobaas the number of copies doubled, Doñana national park and also La Janda (Cádiz). In the meadows of Extremadura, the number of specimens increased in both countries. Los Pedroches Valley like La Serena district.
central region of Extremadura, high vegasThe census coordinator noted that he collected very few birds this year. lack of stubble, maize and ricedespite regained the traditional wintering with smaller groups, in most cases family members occupy the grain stubble or crops.
In the case of Castilla-La Mancha, he commented that cranes appeared.We moved from the state of Ciudad Real to the states of Toledo and Cuenca.especially since it decreased Cabañeros National Parkand Castilla y León, there has also been an increase in grazing land, especially Salamanca.
As to whether cranes tend to concentrate more clearly to make the return journey to their traditional breeding sites in northern Europe, Román said, “in general, has not yet begun to move to winter areas“.
Every year the common crane travels from north to south of Europe on a fascinating journey, passing them through Germany and France in October and November and back to their breeding grounds between mid-February and March. These birds can travel more than 4,000 kilometers, sometimes flying more than 9,000 meters..