This species is found in the northern parts of Europe and across the Palearctic to Siberia.
Formerly the species was spread as far west as Ireland, but about 200 years ago, it became extinct there.
However, it has since started to return to Ireland naturally and there are now plans to help it return to Ireland on a greater scale.
The common crane is an uncommon breeder in southern Europe, smaller numbers breeding in Greece, former-Yugoslavia, Romania, the Netherlands, Denmark and Germany.
Larger breeding populations can be found in Scandinavia, especially Finland and Sweden.
The heart of the breeding population for the species is in Russia, however, where possibly up to 100,000 cranes of this species can be found seasonally.
It is distributed as a breeder from Ukraine to the Chukchi Peninsula in Russia.
The breeding population extends as far south as Manchuria but almost the entire Asian breeding population is restricted to Russia.
Approximately 48-50 breeding pairs exist in the UK, with population centres in Somerset and Norfolk.

The species is a long distance migrant predominantly wintering in northern Africa.
Autumn migration is from August to October in the breeding areas, but from late October to early December at the wintering sites.
Spring migration starts in February at wintering sites up to early March, but from March through May at the breeding areas.
Migration phenology of common cranes is changing due to climate change.
 Important staging areas occur anywhere from Sweden, The Netherlands and Germany to China (with a large one around the Caspian Sea) and many thousand cranes can be seen in one day in the Autumn.
Some birds winter in southern Europe, including Portugal, Spain and France.
Most eastern common cranes winter in the river valleys of Sudan, Ethiopia, Tunisia and Eritrea with smaller numbers in Turkey, northern Israel, Iraq and parts of Iran.
The third major wintering region is in the northern half of Indian subcontinent, including Pakistan.
Minimal wintering also occurs in Burma, Vietnam and Thailand.
Lastly, they winter in eastern China, where they are often the most common crane (outnumbering black-necked cranes ten-to-one).
Migrating flocks fly in a "V" formation.

It is a rare visitor to Japan and Korea, mostly blown over from the Chinese wintering population, and is a rare vagrant to western North America, where birds are occasionally seen with flocks of migrating sandhill cranes.
This species is found in the northern parts of Europe and across the Palearctic to Siberia. Formerly the species was spread as far west as Ireland, but about 200 years ago, it became extinct there. However, it has since started to return to Ireland naturally and there are now plans to help it return to Ireland on a greater scale. The common crane is an uncommon breeder in southern Europe, smaller numbers breeding in Greece, former-Yugoslavia, Romania, the Netherlands, Denmark and Germany. Larger breeding populations can be found in Scandinavia, especially Finland and Sweden. The heart of the breeding population for the species is in Russia, however, where possibly up to 100,000 cranes of this species can be found seasonally. It is distributed as a breeder from Ukraine to the Chukchi Peninsula in Russia. The breeding population extends as far south as Manchuria but almost the entire Asian breeding population is restricted to Russia. Approximately 48-50 breeding pairs exist in the UK, with population centres in Somerset and Norfolk.
The species is a long distance migrant predominantly wintering in northern Africa. Autumn migration is from August to October in the breeding areas, but from late October to early December at the wintering sites. Spring migration starts in February at wintering sites up to early March, but from March through May at the breeding areas. Migration phenology of common cranes is changing due to climate change.  Important staging areas occur anywhere from Sweden, The Netherlands and Germany to China (with a large one around the Caspian Sea) and many thousand cranes can be seen in one day in the Autumn. Some birds winter in southern Europe, including Portugal, Spain and France. Most eastern common cranes winter in the river valleys of Sudan, Ethiopia, Tunisia and Eritrea with smaller numbers in Turkey, northern Israel, Iraq and parts of Iran. The third major wintering region is in the northern half of Indian subcontinent, including Pakistan. Minimal wintering also occurs in Burma, Vietnam and Thailand. Lastly, they winter in eastern China, where they are often the most common crane (outnumbering black-necked cranes ten-to-one). Migrating flocks fly in a "V" formation.
It is a rare visitor to Japan and Korea, mostly blown over from the Chinese wintering population, and is a rare vagrant to western North America, where birds are occasionally seen with flocks of migrating sandhill cranes.
Common crane