Most of the estimated 80,000-100,000 cranes that migrate through Western Europe winter in Spain. The arrival of the wintering birds generally begins during the second half of October, peaking in late November. Cranes disperse thereafter over more than 60 wintering localities known in the Iberian Peninsula. Local numbers vary between a few dozens and some thousands. The main wintering area is southwestern Iberia, Extremadura being the region including most localities and birds. However, during the last 15 years there has been a progressive increase in the use of Gallocanta, NE Spain, as a staging and wintering area. Cranes take there advantage of the high food availability on cereal stubbles and sown grounds, as well as of the safe foraging and roosting sites since the restriction of hunting in the area. This suggests the species' preadaptation to exploit local and temporal availability of resources (protected area and food), wich consitutes an important factor in interpreting the spatial and temporal distribution of the cranes during winter, through activity and energy budgets of the individual birds. Prenuptial migration may start as soon as in January, but it reaches a peak in late February-early March. This migration is more concentrated in space and time than the autumn migration.

General Literature on Wintering Areas in Spain

Alonso, J.A. and J.C. Alonso (eds.). 1990. Distribución y Demografía de la Grulla Común (Grus grus) en España. Colección Técnica, ICONA, Madrid.

Alonso J. A. and Alonso J. C. 1988. Invernada de la Grula Común (Grus grus) en la Península Ibérica. Pp. 123-136, In: IInvernada de Aves  en la Península Ibérica, (ED. J.L. TELLERIA). S.E.O. Monografía 1, Madrid.

Sánchez, J.M., A. Sánchez, A. Fernández and A. Muñoz. 1993. La Grulla Común (Grus grus) en Extremadura. Status y Relación con el Suelo. Universidad de Extremadura.