Once again, tens of thousands of common cranes have taken up residence in the Camargue for the cold season. After a spectacular increase last winter, the 2026 population remains stable.
In January, the Tour du Valat coordinated the census of wintering common cranes (Grus grus) in the Camargue. This annual operation is carried out by around forty volunteers and staff from the Tour du Valat, the Camargue National Reserve, the Vigueirat Marshes Reserve, the Camargue Regional Nature Park, the Pont de Gau Ornithological Park and the Scamandre Centre. The results are then sent to the ‘Réseau Grues France’ and are used to monitor the evolution of the population of these migratory birds.
A total of 36,043 individuals were recorded across 18 dormitories. This figure confirms the exceptional increase seen in 2025 (39,800 individuals) compared with the years 2022–2024 (+45%).
An outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza has had a significant impact on common cranes across Europe, with the LPO observing a peak in mortality in France at the end of October. Although a few cases have been detected, the virus has fortunately not spread amongst this species in the Camargue.
| Follow the migratory route of a common crane!
Use this interactive map to follow the movements of a common crane born in 2022, who was fitted with a GPS tracker in Estonia. From its birthplace in the Baltic states, it reached the Camargue in just a few weeks. This map shows the impressive distance travelled, the stopover sites and the routes these birds can take during their seasonal migration. |
