South Africa Counts 18,888 Cranes in Census

The first National Crane Census in 20 years relied on citizen science submissions made by cellphone across the country.

Updated on Nov. 10, 2026 in Bird Watching

Bold vector editorial illustration of a scattered flock of tall blue-grey cranes across an open ochre grassland under warm low sun, with a distant escarpment ridge. — Citizen scientists submitted 18,888 crane sightings across South Africa in a four-day national census held 24 to 27 July, the first in 20 years. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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Endangered Wildlife Trust and International Crane Foundation recorded 18,888 cranes across South Africa in a national census held in July. The census was the first National Crane Census in 20 years, with 547 South Africans taking part.

Why it matters

The count gives researchers a national baseline for crane populations as the blue crane has been uplisted from Near Threatened to Vulnerable. Sightings will help track crane movements by comparing locations with the places where birds were originally ringed.

The census identified 13,172 Blue cranes, 4,944 Grey-Crowned cranes and 384 Wattled cranes from 970 submitted sightings. A hybrid Blue crane-Wattled crane juvenile was also spotted roughly 200km from where it was raised.

The players

Endangered Wildlife Trust

A South African conservation organisation that co-ran the national crane census and works to protect threatened wildlife.

International Crane Foundation

A US-based non-profit dedicated to the conservation of the world's crane species, which partnered on the South African census.

The details

Members of the public submitted sightings and locations using their cellphones during the four-day counting period from 24 to 27 July. The Drakensberg range is a global hotspot for all three crane species, and the largest Blue crane flock was recorded at Groot Brak Rivier.

2025: Blue crane uplisted to Vulnerable in the Red Data Book of Birds of South Africa, Lesotho and Eswatini.
24 to 27 July: Official four-day crane counting period.
10 November 2026: Census results published.

Seasonal Patterns

The 2025 Red Data Book uplisting of the blue crane to Vulnerable sets the conservation context for this census. The national count offers a fresh baseline against which future changes in crane numbers can be measured.

Birdwatchers across South Africa can use the census findings to guide where they look for cranes and how they report sightings. Anyone who spots a crane can submit a sighting with its location to support ongoing research.

The takeaway

Ordinary sightings matter: a single cellphone submission can help researchers map crane movements across the country. Consider recording and reporting the cranes you see on your next outing.