Taipei City Government

The Red-crowned Crane chick that hatched at Taipei Zoo on April 20, 2026, is now about four and a half months old. Most of its feathers have already changed to white, with only a few scattered patches of mottled brown feathers remaining, while its head and neck still retain their youthful yellowish-brown coloration. The chick is now almost the same size as its parents, and when it lowers its head to forage in the mist of the exhibit, it can easily be mistaken for one of the adults at first glance.

Born on April 20, the chick is the offspring of the zoo's resident Red-crowned Cranes, KIKA (female) and BIG (male), and is the second chick successfully hatched by the pair after a four-year interval. At birth, its tiny body was covered in light brown down, making it look much like a little chick. Growing rapidly, it reached the height of its parents' legs at around one month of age. By nearly two months old, white and brown feathers began to emerge as its fluffy down was gradually replaced. Now at four and a half months old, the young crane has developed a strong, slender body and nearly full plumage. It looks almost like a differently colored version of its parents, with body proportions nearly identical to theirs, while its feather coloration is still distinct.

Recently, the father crane, BIG, has continued to keep a close watch and actively warn off anyone approaching the enclosure. The young crane, however, no longer stays close beside its mother as it did when it was younger. Instead, it has become curious and will cautiously approach unfamiliar people to observe them. The area behind the chick's rump is now covered with dark feathers similar to those of an adult. Although this may look like a tail, it is actually formed by elongated tertial flight feathers extending from the wings rather than true tail feathers. Now that its wings are almost fully grown, the young crane occasionally flaps them and briefly lifts off the ground, providing an excellent opportunity to see this distinctive feature.

As the young crane continues to grow, the yellowish-brown feathers on its head and neck will gradually darken until they become the characteristic black plumage of an adult. At the same time, the bare patch of skin on the top of its head will gradually develop into the species' distinctive red crown. Once these features have fully developed, the young crane will be one step closer to reaching adulthood.