Poultry
Bergische Kräher
B tier
Bergische Kräher (Bergischer Crower) is a rare German longcrower breed from the Bergisches Land, selected for an extraordinarily prolonged crow as well as utility traits. Tall and upright with dark plumage varieties, it is a light-to-medium bird producing white eggs and lean, active-bird meat rather than commercial broiler bulk. Culinary use is niche and heritage-focused: free-range flavour rewards slow roasting, braising, and regional stews. Because carcasses are relatively lean and muscular, moist cooking methods and whole-bird presentation preserve juiciness better than high-heat dry grilling alone.
Also known as: Bergische Kräher, Bergischer Crower, Bergische Kräher, Bergische Crower, Bergische Kraeher
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Characteristics
Preparations
Traits
History
Longcrowing cockerels were prized in the Bergisches Land of western Germany for contest and farmyard prestige.
Local selection fixed elongated crow duration alongside the tall, upright Bergische Kräher type.
German poultry standards began to recognise Bergische Kräher as a distinct longcrower breed.
Near-extinction followed wartime losses and the rise of industrial poultry genetics.
Conservation breeders reconstructed and stabilised remaining Bergische Kräher bloodlines.
Cultural heritage status and rare-breed societies sustained small but dedicated global flocks.