Throughout my country's more than 5,000-year history, many animals have appeared, such as the ox, sheep, and tiger in the Chinese zodiac, which have become an integral part of Chinese culture. In addition, many birds have also graced the pages of ancient poetry and paintings, showcasing their unique beauty.
Today we'll be talking about two birds: the red-crowned crane and the short-tailed albatross. Most people are probably very familiar with the red-crowned crane, but due to some common misconceptions, many still have misunderstandings about it. Today, let's discuss the stories behind these misunderstandings!
Misunderstood Red-crowned Crane
Among the cultural totems of ancient my country, the red-crowned crane is undoubtedly one of the most beloved. Emperor Huizong of the Song Dynasty, Zhao Ji, created a masterpiece titled "Auspicious Cranes," which has become one of the few surviving treasures, with the red-crowned crane as its central figure. Furthermore, among ancient officials, only those of the highest rank (first grade) were entitled to have red-crowned cranes embroidered on their official robes.
Not only in the imperial court, but also in folklore and legends, the red-crowned crane holds a high status and is often affectionately called the "fairy crane," demonstrating the public's fondness for it. However, the red-crowned crane is a rare bird, and people don't know much about it, leading to some misunderstandings.
The first misunderstanding is its name. It doesn't refer to the "red-crowned crane," but rather to its Latin scientific name, *Grus japonensis*, which translates to "foreign crane." Many people wonder why it's called a "foreign crane" when most red-crowned crane populations are distributed in my country.
Rewind to over three hundred years ago, when the Qing government presented itself as a superior empire, implementing a policy of isolationism. As a result, Western scholars were unable to enter my country to study local birds.
So they had to go to an island nation near my country—a foreign country—and find the red-crowned crane there, eventually linking the bird's name with its place of origin. Thus, the scientific name of the red-crowned crane was permanently recorded as "foreign crane."
The second misconception concerns the legend of the red-crowned crane and poison. In ancient times, when people had very little knowledge of chemistry, they produced arsenic using rudimentary methods. Due to poor purification, it contained a large amount of sulfides, giving it a red color. It was precisely because of this that the ancients associated it with the red-crowned crane's head.
Taking the symbolism of "the crane's crest is beautiful, its blood is extremely poisonous," and adding a touch of artistic embellishment, the beautifully described deadly poison "Crane's Crest Red" was born. It must be said that the imagination of the ancients far surpasses that of various modern masters of Chinese studies; they were able to describe a poison in such a poetic and picturesque way, which is truly amazing.
Perhaps the legends and images surrounding the red-crowned crane are so deeply ingrained that many people genuinely believe that the blood of the red-crowned crane is highly poisonous. Therefore, it is necessary to clarify that the blood of the red-crowned crane is not poisonous; the poisonous substance is kunzite, which contains impurities.
After debunking the myths, let's take a closer look at the red-crowned crane. This bird stands about 1.4 meters tall with a wingspan of about two meters. To enable it to fly for extended periods, it weighs only about 10 kilograms, making it appear remarkably light. Its plumage is composed of red, black, and white feathers, resembling a walking ink painting.
They are masters of long-distance flight, easily soaring over mountains over 5,000 meters high at speeds reaching 40 kilometers per hour. They prefer flock migration, maintaining flight formation by rotating positions to conserve energy, and are highly intelligent. They are also among the longest-living birds, reaching up to 60 years old – truly, owning one means a lifelong companion!
The longevity star of the bird world – the short-tailed albatross
Like the red-crowned crane, the short-tailed albatross has a very long lifespan, living up to 60 years. A typical large seabird, the short-tailed albatross primarily lives near the coast, disliking humans and ships, and typically nests on rocky cliffs on islands. Because seawater has a high specific heat capacity, the temperature difference is not as great as inland, so migration is unnecessary.
The breeding season for short-tailed albatrosses is around October each year. They prefer to live in groups and will incubate the eggs together after mating, taking care of each other. Because the incubation period and the growth of the young are relatively slow, the newly hatched short-tailed albatrosses have a defense mechanism of regurgitating stomach acid. It is not until a year later that the chicks can truly grow and soar through the sky on their own.
Adult short-tailed albatrosses stand nearly one meter tall, weigh over 9 kilograms, and have a wingspan of 1.2 meters. They are entirely white with grayish-black wings, giving them an angelic appearance. Their beaks are up to 16 centimeters long, and combined with their sharp toes, they can easily penetrate the defenses of most animals during high-speed flight.
Unfortunately, due to hunting and volcanic eruptions, the number of short-tailed albatrosses has dropped rapidly this year. In 2009, the number was less than 3,000. They are a Class I protected animal in my country, and all species are listed as endangered species by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).
Summarize
Both the red-crowned crane and the short-tailed albatross are predominantly white in appearance and have very graceful bodies; each has its own merits. However, compared to the majestic short-tailed albatross, I still prefer the elegant red-crowned crane.
Which bird do you prefer?
