According to Nguyen Van Lam, director of Tram Chim National Park, seven red-crowned cranes flew over the park on Thursday for a while before leaving.

They flew in from the direction of Cambodia, gliding over their familiar foraging grounds in the national park's core before heading back toward the border.

An image of the red-headed crane flock flying over Tram Chim National Park 

According to the national park's staff, before large flocks of red-crowned cranes return, a few individuals often scout the habitat. If conditions are suitable, the main flock typically arrives about a week later to search for food.

Extensive restoration efforts have improved the core area of Tram Chim National Park. Purple spike rush grass, a favourite food of cranes, is thriving.

The National Park Management Board has deployed staff to monitor the core area around the clock to protect the endangered birds.

The red-crowned crane is a rare and endangered species in Southeast Asia

The red-crowned crane is a rare and endangered species in Southeast Asia. Due to its high risk of extinction, it is listed in the International Red Book.

Before 2000, thousands of red-crowned cranes came to Tram Chim annually to search for food during the months leading up to Tet. However, due to changes in their habitat, fewer cranes have flown to the reserve in recent years. Since 2017, there have been several years without cranes returning to Tram Chim.

Tram Chim National Park, covering 7,300 hectares, is home to hundreds of species and is among the few places in Vietnam where red-crowned cranes frequently arrive seasonally to forage.