White-naped crane　

　The white-crowned crane, designated as an endangered species, is one of the birds sought after by foreign birdwatchers visiting Japan. There are two main groups of white-naped cranes: the western group breeds in northeastern Mongolia and China’s Hanyang Lake, wintering in the lower Yangtze River region; the eastern group breeds in the Amur River basin of China and Russia, wintering in central Korea, Japan, and particularly the Izumi Plain.

　The number migrating varies significantly from year to year in Japan, exceeding 3,000 birds in some years and dropping to around 200 in others. Reports indicate their numbers in central Korea have increased more than twentyfold over the past two decades, with their wintering grounds expanding. However, they are also considered a pest by farmers, damaging crops, and are sometimes hunted.