Photo by timlaman / Red-crowned cranes preen in a February snowstorm. To me, they're one of the most elegant of all birds. What do you think? Native to Japan, Korea, and China, these beautiful birds are an endangered species, with less than 2,000 left in the wild. Conservation efforts in Japan have led to population increases, but they remain limited by lack of remaining marshlands for breeding. Careful management will be needed to ensure their survival. I photographed these cranes at the Ripley Waterfowl Conservancy, in Connecticut, a nonprofit breeding facility focused on maintaining genetic diversity in rare and endangered species, and an education center for the next generation of conservationists. Check them out at Ripley_ducks. Throughout April, for Earth Day, I’m sharing photographs of endangered species in hopes of bringing them some needed attention. Please visit TimLaman to see more. #redcrownedcrane #EndangeredSpecies #birdphotography #birds #snow