Because the temperatures in Germany fell well below freezing within a few hours on Christmas Day, the instincts of the cranes were awakened just as quickly.
Thousands of animals flew south along two main routes. The German Nature Conservation Union (NABU) estimated the number of migratory birds at around 10,000 animals.
Anyone who digested the roast goose on a walk-in North Rhine-Westphalia or Hesse at Christmas could observe the animals in their typical wedge-shaped swarms. Why did the cranes take off? You got too cold!
While most birds of their species usually fly south from northern Europe in autumn and spend the winter in France or Spain, for example, many cranes are now also staying in Germany. Climate change makes it possible.
Decades ago, almost the entire population of cranes flew to their southern winter quarters in winter. That has changed in recent years. The Lower Saxon moors and the Unstrut floodplain in Thuringia are well-known gathering places for cranes in the German winter.
At these winter resting places, many cranes have now been surprised by the cold winter whip. The cranes quickly swung into the air and therefore flew away from the frost.
The experts at Nabu stated on Christmas Day: „From south-western Lower Saxony, we went via MĂĽnsterland and the Ruhr area down to Bonn, then on towards the Eifel and Moselle. The next stop is certainly the Lac du Der in Champagne.”