Spring is arriving...

Every spring, thousands of cranes pass through Lake Hornborga for a final stop along their migratory route. 

  • The messenger of spring and always just as eagerly awaited. The cranes' dance and trumpeting call are a sure sign of spring and they attract at least 150,000 visitors to Lake Hornborga during a four-week period.
  • Spring is taking its time in Sweden just as pretty much everywhere. But there are signs it is on the way. One such sign is the arrival of the Common Crane to Hornborgarsjön outside the town of Skara.

  • On their way from their winter quarters in Spain to their breeding grounds, some 10,000 cranes rest at Lake Hornborga. They usually stay for a week or two to eat, dance and rest.
  • Bird watcher Lennart Ljuhs first spotted the crane: “I saw it come in, flying together with two geese,” he says.

  • Lake Hornborga, Sweden A pair cranes take a drink from a stream as they rest from their migratory flight. Every spring, thousands of cranes pass through Lake Hornborga for a final stop along their migratory route, making it the home of one of the largest bird gatherings in the world.
  • The cranes come from the south and land at the southern tip of Hornborgarsjön, eventually preparing for their mating dance. The crane Ljuhs spotted is so far alone with the geese, no other cranes have been seen.

  • A sure sign that spring is on its way to Sweden: The appearance of the Common Crane at Hornborgasjön.
  • “It was the same thing last year,” says Ljuhs. “First there’s a single crane and then the others appear a day or so later.”

  • The Common Crane is also known as the Eurasian Crane. It is about 40-52 inches long with a 71-96 inch wingspan and a weight of 10-13 lbs. The Common Crane is grey with a white facial streak and a bunch of black wing plumes. Adults have a red crown patch. It has a loud trumpeting call, given in flight and display. During its mating dance, it leaps with wings uplifted. The crane breeds in wetlands in northern parts of Europe and Asia, the global population is in the region of 210,000-250,000, with the vast majority nesting in Russia and Scandinavia.

  • More info on Hornborgasjön: Hornborgasjön, Sweden