The White-naped crane (Grus vipio) is a bird of the crane family. It is a large bird, 112–125 cm long, about 130 cm tall, and weighing about 5.6 kg, with pinkish legs, a grey-and-white-striped neck, and a red face patch.

White-naped crane (Grus vipio) in Rotterdam Zoo

The White-naped crane breeds in northeastern Mongolia, northeastern China, and adjacent areas of southeastern Russia, where a program at Khingan Nature Reserve raises eggs provided from U.S. zoos to bolster the species. Different groups of the birds migrate to winter near the Yangtze River, the Korean Demilitarized Zone, and on Kyūshū in Japan [Japanese: Mana-zuru]. They also reach Kazakhstan and Taiwan. Only about 4,900 to 5,400 individuals remain in the wild.

Its diet consists mainly of insects, seeds, roots, plants, and small animals.

Here is an impression of animal photography of photography the White-naped crane (Grus vipio) in Rotterdam Zoo.