Guest Performance of the Cranes

A Musical Natural Spectacle of a Special Kind

In overwhelming numbers cranes populate field and sky over Fischland-Darß-Zingst, © TMV/Growe-Lodzig

Guest Performance of the Cranes

A Musical Natural Spectacle of a Special Kind

They line up in long strings of pearls in front of the glow of the setting sun. No place in Central Europe gathers more of the singing stars of the sky.

They line up in long strings of pearls in front of the glow of the setting sun. No place in Central Europe gathers more of the singing stars of the sky.

Animal Trumpet Concert

With their piercing trumpet-like calls, the cranes set out to forage at sunrise and return just as noisily in the evening. Their majestic slender bodies stand out darkly against the glowing red sunset as they fly to their roosts in the sheltered shore zones at dusk.

Twice a year, the cranes gather in the shallow Bodden and lake waters to rest in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern and provide an incomparable natural spectacle for several weeks.

In spring, with a little luck, the "crane dance" - the courtship ritual of the cranes - can be observed on the wide pastures and meadows. In autumn, the cranes need sufficient energy reserves before their long flight south to their winter quarters. The harvested corn and barley fields are an ideal reservoir of food for this purpose.

Crane Watching

You can observe cranes in spring between mid-March and early April and in autumn from September to the end of October.

In the most important resting area of the cranes in Central Europe - the Bock-Rügen-Kirr region in the National Park Vorpommersche Boddenlandschaft - even up to 50,000 birds are expected at the same time in autumn. The observation point Pramort, a large white dune field on the Ostzingst, is the most popular migratory resting place of the cranes. To avoid disturbing them as they forage, visitor traffic is blocked throughout the area. Observe without disturbing: Only with the National Park Card can the shy large birds be observed.

But also in many other regions in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern the cranes can be observed, like in the Müritz National Park at the Rederangsee near Waren/Müritz. With the crane ticket you go on a guided tour to the evening flight in at the roosting place of the cranes.

The large birds can also be seen up close at Schaalsee in West Mecklenburg, in the Langhägener Seewiesen near Parchim, in the Mecklenburgische Schweiz Nature Park and in the Peene Valley.

Interaction of Crane Protection and Nature Experience

To protect the crane and its resting and roosting places, special regulations apply in the nature reserves during the crane season. Please use only publicly accessible paths for your crane observation and stay only at the designated viewing platforms. Please pay attention to the information boards in the nature reserves. More information on how to watch cranes without disturbing them.

For the protection of the cranes and their habitat there is the possibility to buy a "Crane Protection Share" with a small donation.

Snapshot Crane

What is for some a musical observation of nature, is for many (amateur) photographers ubiquitously a popular photo subject. With large lenses and long focal lengths, the crane becomes the star of photographers. Conservationists have built special observation stands and photo huts for this purpose, so that the shy bird is not disturbed while resting.

Experience the Cranes

Guided Crane Tours, Exhibitions and Events

2 Ergebnisse

© Nationalpark-Service Müritz

Crane ticket

  • Date: 8/12/24 to 10/31/24
  • Damerower Straße, 17192 Federow

Tour for the evening flight of cranes to the roosts

Read more: "Crane ticket"

"On the trail of the crane" by Karsten Peter

  • Date: 10/8/24
  • Am Kurpark, 18586 Baabe

A multimedia lecture at the Haus des Gastes in Baabe.

Read more: ""On the trail of the crane" by Karsten Peter"
© Nationalpark-Service Müritz

Crane ticket

  • Date: 8/12/24 to 10/31/24
  • Damerower Straße, 17192 Federow

Tour for the evening flight of cranes to the roosts

Read more: "Crane ticket"

"On the trail of the crane" by Karsten Peter

  • Date: 10/8/24
  • Am Kurpark, 18586 Baabe

A multimedia lecture at the Haus des Gastes in Baabe.

Read more: ""On the trail of the crane" by Karsten Peter"
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Cranes Watching

Viewpoints for an Uninterrupted View of the Majestic Large Birds

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© Nationalpark-Information Federow

National park visitor centre in Federow

  • Open today
  • Damerower Straße, 17192 Kargow OT Federow

The Müritz National Park: famous for its sea-eagles, ospreys and thousands of rabbits that rest here in the autumn and spring.

Read more: "National park visitor centre in Federow"
© Kur- und Tourismus GmbH

Birdwatching Point Pramort Hohe Düne

  • Freely accessible at any time
  • 18374 Pramort

In front of Pramort is the most important migratory resting place of the Gray Crane. The presence of humans causes the large birds to become anxious. They become nervous, turn away, waste valuable energy, which they urgently need for the still long flight to the winter quarters. In the worst case, they may abandon their roost - permanently.

Read more: "Birdwatching Point Pramort Hohe Düne"
© Stephan Macke

National Park exhibition “Insel Schatz Ummanz“ in Waase

  • Neue Straße, 18569 Waase/ Ummanz

The little village Waase, located on the isle of Ummanz, combines the scenic indentation and the island and timbered idyll. The visitor information and a small national park exhibition are combined under the thatched roof of the ”Alte Küsterei”. The colourful diversity of the isle of Ummanz and the national park represent the main focus of the small exhibition that has been renewed in 2018.

Read more: "National Park exhibition “Insel Schatz Ummanz“ in Waase"
© TMV/Fischer

CRANORAMA at Lake Günz

  • Open today
  • 18445 Günz

The KRANORAMA at Lake Günz is a modern and accessible observation station for cranes, which was opened in 2015. It is located near Groß Mohrdorf and allows undisturbed and natural observations, also of other resting birds and birds of prey.

Read more: "CRANORAMA at Lake Günz"
© Kur- und Tourismus GmbH

Bird watching point Pramort

  • Open today
  • 18374 Pramort

From September to November, you can witness an impressive spectacle from the Pramort crane roosting site, when the cranes form a wedge-shaped formation or line up in a long chain as they approach their roosts.

Read more: "Bird watching point Pramort"
© Katrin Köppen

National park house on Hiddensee

  • Open today
  • Norderende, 18565 Vitte/Hiddensee

"Veränderung" (change) is the title of the exhibition in the visitor information centre of the National Park “Vorpommersche Boddenlandschaft” and hardly anything could be more appropriate for the island of Hiddensee, which is constantly growing and changing due to the forces of nature.

Read more: "National park house on Hiddensee"
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The majestic sea eagle in portrait, © TMV/Müller

Eye to Eye with the Eagle

Read more: "Eye to Eye with the Eagle"
Just a stone? Mecklenburg-Vorpommern's nature was shaped by the Ice Age millions of years ago. And even today, with a little luck, explorers young and old can discover the traces of the past. More than 30 adventure centers throughout the vacation state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern provide fascinating insights into the animal and plant world. This makes an excursion into nature a very special experience., © TMV/Molle&Korn

Experience Nature

Read more: "Experience Nature"