25,000 Cranes at Hornborgasjön in Skaraborg

Every year, around 25,000 cranes gather at Hornborgasjön in central Skaraborg. The first cranes usually arrive in mid-March, with the largest numbers appearing in early April.

The cranes that come to Skaraborg pause here to rest, feed, and dance before continuing their journey to the forests of northern Sweden, where they spend the summer. In winter, they pass through Skaraborg again on their way to their overwintering sites.

Why do the cranes come to Hornborgasjön?

Hornborgasjön is a relatively small bird lake, and with massive lakes like Vänern and Vättern nearby, one might wonder why the birds choose this particular lake as their gathering spot. The answer isn’t entirely straightforward, but it’s known that cranes have been stopping at Hornborgasjön for thousands of years. One theory is that the plateau mountains surrounding the lake create thermal winds, making it easier for the cranes to take off when they continue their migration.

A shallow lake provides a perfect place to spend the night and find food. However, when thousands of cranes arrive at once, the natural food supply isn’t enough. To prevent the cranes from causing damage to local farmers, they are fed locally grown barley.

Why do cranes dance?

Researchers believe that cranes dance to strengthen social bonds, particularly between pairs. When thousands of cranes gather in one place, many will be dancing—an impressive sight to behold!

The dance can be described as improvised, yet it follows certain movement patterns. It often begins with a series of bowing motions, where the bird raises and lowers its front body. The dance continues with spins and leaps into the air. Sometimes, the birds also pick up tufts of grass and toss them into the air.

Follow the crane count and visit the lake

As this text is published, the first cranes have already been spotted, both at Hornborgasjön and in fields across Skaraborg. Soon, however, the real influx will arrive, and the counting of cranes will begin. Are you curious about the current number of cranes? Follow the statistics at hornborga.com.

From mid-March to mid-April, you can see the cranes dance at Trandansen (the Crane Dance) at Hornborgasjön. For more information, visit the link above.

Photo: Roger Borgelid & Jonas Ingman.

This text has been translated with the help of AI.