COLOR MARKINGS
used in the East Asian-Australasian Flyway
Available at http://www.eaaflyway.net/our-activities/task-forces/coordination-of-colour-marking/

EVERY SINGLE RESIGHTING IS IMPORTANT. If you observed a marked bird, please report the following information as much as
possible to relevant organizations: species, date, locality (with coordinates), color marks (type, color, and inscription of the marks),
photographs, circumstances and other relevant details, etc. Domestic/local banding schemes as well as contact persons in the following
tables are best focal points. Your reports will benefit migration studies and identification of key routes and habitats of migratory birds.

Gruidae (cranes)
Please visit the site of 'Yamashina Institute for Ornithology' to read color marking protocols for waterbirds including marked cranes in Japan.
You may find relevant information on color-marked Common Cranes (Grus grus) in Europe on the 'European Colour-ring Birding: Common Crane' page
managed by Dirk Raes.

The webpage of the International Crane Foundation (ICF), an important Partner of EAAFP, provides valuable information on cranes and their migration.
Particularly, you may visit the ‘Banded Cranes’ page for color marked cranes in North America.

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Red-crowned Crane (Grus japonensis)
TypeCountryColor

ExampleNotes

Contact information

Khinganski Nature Reserve and Khanka Lake
• C01-C99 were used in Khinganski Nature Reserve and5C0

F94

WhiteKhanka Lake from 1984-91

Bird Ringing Centre of Russia• F** were used in Khingansk since 1989
• *C* were used in Khingansk since 1993
Khinganski Nature Reserve and Khanka Lake in 1981-90

Russia• N1-N25 were used in 1981-1982 in Khanka LakeN25Yellow• Three digits of numbers were used since 1984 in Khingansk

Bird Ringing Centre of Russia

areasLeg ringRed1
28140

137

China

Green

Used for two birds (numbered ‘137’ and ‘140’)
Bird Ringing Centre of Russia
at Khinganski Nature Reserve in 2000

Two or three digits of numbers were used in Zhalong since 1984.
Codes used: 00-99, 100-999, B00-Z99.

Lu JunHokkaido since 1988

99V

Yellow

T95

Japan• T01-T99 were used from 1988-1996• 01V-99V were used frm 1996-2002• Two digits of numbers followed by ‘P’ have used since 2002

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Bird Migration Research Center, YIO

Red-crowned Crane (F72 on a WHITE color ring)Engraved YELLOW color rings

Banded at Khinganski Nature Reserve in Russia in 2003

prepared for Red-crowned Cranes in Hokkaido, Japan

Observed at Cheorwon in South Korea in Dec 2004

Photo by Chang-Yong CHOI

Photo by Seung-Hwa YOO

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White-naped Crane (Grus vipio)
Type

Country

Color

ExampleNotes

Contact information

Amur River Basin (Khinganski Nature Reserve, Khanka
Lake, Daurskiy) since 1985

2A9A23z

A01-A96 were used in Khanka Lake (1985-1996) andTorey Lake (1987-1989)

Leg ringWhitez

Bird Ringing Centre of Russia

E** were used in Daurskiy (Torey Lake and adjacent Oleg Goroshko (Daurskiy NR)

E96areas) in 1989-1993z

E** and *A* were used in Khingansk areas since 1989

RussiaKhinganski Nature Reserve in 1984-87

75

Yellow

Bird Ringing Centre of Russia

Daurskiy (Torey Lake and adjacent areas) since 1991

RedZ
5
32G4

Red

S46

China

G29

Blue

Bird Ringing Centre of Russiaz

G** were used in 1991-1992z*G* were used since 1993

Oleg Goroshko (Daurskiy NR)

S** were used in Daurskiy (Torey Lake and adjacent areas) Bird Ringing Centre of Russia
in 1989

Oleg Goroshko (Daurskiy NR)

Zhalong since 1986. Codes used: 00-99, 100-999, B00-Z99.

5Lu JunGombobaatar Sundev
Green(Mongolian Ornithological Society)

Y42

Mongolia

Uldza River in 1992-1994 and in 2002
Kiyoaki OZAKI(Yamashina Institute for Ornithology)

Two digits (12-22) were used at Izumi in 1983

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OrangeBird Migration Research Center, YIO‘J’, ‘M’, ‘R’ followed by one or two digits of numbers wereJapan

used in Izumi since 1984

R02

M86

Yellow• J04-J78 were used from 1984-1987• M1-M99 were used from 1988-1999

Bird Migration Research Center, YIO• R** were used since 1999
One to three color ring(s) may be attached on the other leg.

K2YKOCWhite

Only two white rings (engraved 'KOC' and 'K2Y') were used Wee-Haeng HUR
for rehabilitated birds in 2004 and 2007 in Cheorwon.
(National Institute of BiologicalSouthResources)
Korea
Kisup LEE
GreenGreen was assigned, but never used.

6(Korea Waterbird Network)

Color rings (engraved YELLOW and plain plastic rings)

White-naped Crane (E67 on WHITE leg ring)

and an old-fashioned PTT used for White-naped Cranes in Izumi, Japan

Banded at Byrtsa River, Kyra Region in Russia on 16 Jul 1990

Photo by Chang-Yong CHOI

Observed at Cheorwon in South Korea on 20 Jan 2011
Photo by Nam-joon JI

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White-naped Crane (M89 on YELLOW leg ring & Red/Blue/Red rings)

White-naped Crane (M1 on YELLOW leg ring)

Banded at Izumi in Japan on 29 Jan 1995

Banded at Izumi in Japan on 21 Jan 1988

Observed at Cheorwon in South Korea on 21 Mar 2004

Observed at Cheorwon in South Korea on 18 Oct 2002 and 27 Nov

Photo by Chang-Yong CHOI

2005
Please note that the leg color was nearly stained white.
Photo by Seung-Hwa YOO

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Hooded Crane (Grus monacha)
TypeCountryColor

E10 was used in Torey Lake in 1989

Oleg Goroshko (Daurskiy NR)

Yellow

Two birds (VC6, VK6) were ringed in Daurskiy in 1991

Blue

0G* were used in Daurskiy in 1993

Red

Several birds (K02-K05) were ringed in Daurskiy in 1988-1990

Red205Bird Ringing Centre of Russia

K05

Bikin (Khabarovsk) in 1985-1989

White0G3

Contact information

VK6

Notes

A61

Leg ring

ExampleRed rings with white numbers (e.g. 204 and 205) have been used.
Codes used: 00-99, 100-999, B00-Z99.

Bird Ringing Centre of Russia
Oleg Goroshko (Daurskiy NR)

RussiaChina

Bird Ringing Centre of Russia
Oleg Goroshko (Daurskiy NR)

Bird Ringing Centre of Russia
Oleg Goroshko (Daurskiy NR)

9Lu JunGombobaatar Sundev
Green

Y42

Mongolia(Mongolian Ornithological Society)
Uldza River in 1992-1994 and in 2002
Kiyoaki OZAKI(Yamashina Institute for Ornithology)

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OrangeJapan

Two digits of numbers were used in Izumi in 1979-1983

Bird Migration Research Center, YIO‘J’, ‘K’, or ‘P’ followed by two digits of numbers in Izumi since 1983.

P21Yellowz

J02-J99 were used in 1983-1987.

zK01-K99 were used in 1987-1994.

z

P** were used since 1994.

Bird Migration Research Center, YIO

10Siberian Crane (Grus leucogeranus)
TypeCountryColorExample

White06

RedLeg ringRussia
Yellow

13Notes1741
2

Contact information

Banded in Yakutia since 1990z

White 01-12 were used in 1990 and 1991.

z

White 174-197 were used in 2005.

z

Red 01-16 were used from 1992 to 1996.

z

Blue 01-20 were used from 1993 to 1995.

Bird Ringing Centre of RussiazYellow 1-12 were used in 1990 to 1996.

Yuri Markin (UNEP/GEF Siberian
Crane Wetland Project consultant)

One or combination of plastic color ring(s) and metal ring(s)may be also used with these legs.
Blue1
6PTTs were attached to some birds for satellite trackings.

For more information on color-ringed Siberian Cranes in Russia, please read the article entitled “Banding and monitoring of Siberian Cranes in Yakutia (Germogenov et al.
2007)” published on China Crane News (Vol.11, No.1, p. 26-34). Individual data is available: http://www.chinabird.org/newsletter/crane2007-1.pdf

You may find more information on the ‘Reintorduction: Banding’ page in the website of Siberian Crane Banding Coordination. There are some images of Siberian Cranes
carrying color rings and transmitters.

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Siberian Crane (08 on Blue leg ring)

Siberian Crane (08 on Blue leg ring)

Banded near Ushkan Lake, Russia, on 13 August 1993

Banded near Ushkan Lake, Russia, on 13 August 1993

Observed at Poyang Lake in China on 18 Feb 2012

Observed at Poyang Lake in China on 18 Feb 2012

Photo by Huigong YU

Photo by Huigong YU

12Common Crane (Grus grus)

RussiaColorExample

Notes

White

E** were used Daurskiy (Torey Lake and adjacent areas) in 1990

BlueG15Leg ringCountryE62TypeOne bird (G15) was banded in Torey Lake in 1992

S48

Red

Contact information

Bird Ringing Centre of Russia
Oleg Goroshko (Daurskiy NR)

Bird Ringing Centre of Russia
Oleg Goroshko (Daurskiy NR)

Daurskiy in 1989-1990
zBird Ringing Centre of Russia

K01, K04, and S** were used near Torey Lake

Oleg Goroshko (Daurskiy NR)

Please refer the 'European Clour-ring Birding: Common Crane' page for color-marking protocols used in Common Cranes (Grus grus) in Europe.

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Black-necked Crane (Grus nigricollis)
TypeCountryColor

ExampleNotes

Contact information

There is currently no flyway-level protocol for this species, but some color markings may be locally used.
RedChina

Orange003

This color bands with white digits were used in Ruoergai andNapahai Nature Reserves. Codes used: 00-99, 100-999, B00-Z99.

Lu JunBhutanThree orange bands with black digits were used in Ruoergai Nature Fa-Wen Qian
(National Bird Banding Center of China)
Fengshan Li
Reserve during 1986-1987. No plan to use this color in the future.
(International Crane Foundation)
No information is currently available.

India

No information is currently available.

25

Leg ringChina

Sarus Crane (Grus antigone)
TypeCountry

Color

ExampleNotes

Contact information

There is currently no flyway-level protocol for this species, but some color markings may be locally used.

VietnamLeg ringSome Sarus Cranes, caught at Tram Chim National Park in 1998 andJeb Barzen (ICF)

2001 by Yamashina Institute for Ornithology (YIO) and International

Tran Triet (ICF)

Crane Foundation (ICF), may carry color bands on their legs.

Nguyen Van Hung (Tram Chim NP)

Angkor Centre for Conservation of Biodiversity (ACCB) may have
Markus Handschuh (ACCB)

Cambodia
rehabilitated a chick with bands.

14Demoiselle Crane (Anthropoides virgo)
TypeCountryColor

Notes

Contact information

Daurskiy in 1990

Bird Ringing Centre of RussiazK06-K47 were used in Torey Lake in 1990

GreenP49

P01-P74 were used in Daurskiy (mainly in Torey Lake) in 1992

Leg ringz

Oleg Goroshko (Daurskiy NR)
Bird Ringing Centre of Russia

Daurskiy from 1993-1995

Blue

5G9Russia

K29

Red

Example1G* and 5G* were used in Torey Lake in 1993

Oleg Goroshko (Daurskiy NR)
Bird Ringing Centre of Russia
Oleg Goroshko (Daurskiy NR)
Tseveenmyadag Natsagdorj

Green

1Y1

Mongolia(Mongolian Ornithological Society)
Nine birds (0Y1-1Y1) were banded at Uldza River in 1995

Gombobaatar Sundev(Mongolian Ornithological Society)

Yellow05

China

Two digits of numbers were used in Zhalong in 1989-90.

Fa-Wen Qian
(National Bird Banding Center of China)

Last update: 13 April 2015
For more information or for error correction, please contact Dr. Judit Szabo, the Science Officer of the EAAF Partnership Secretariat.

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