key point
- These omnivorous birds can be found in wetlands on nearly every continent, with the Arctic and South America being the only exceptions.
- Crane birds typically have long, elegant necks, large, slender bodies covered in lighter-colored feathers, and heads covered in more striking colors.
- They can be tall and have been known to reach heights of 5 feet and more.
Tall and imposing, with long legs and long necks, cranes spend most of their lives in the shallow waters of swamps, lakes, streams and ponds, hunting prey and building nests. There are 15 species of crane birds existing in the world, all of which belong to the Crane family. Their diet usually consists of insects, fish, rodents, small reptiles and amphibians, plants, and even some cultivated plants. They use their beaks to prowl in shallow water or sand to find small food to eat. Their diet is also accompanied by small pebbles and grit to help them grind food down in their stomachs.
One of the most interesting facts about crane birds is that they perform elaborate courtship dances to attract potential mates. Many of them pair up and raise their young together for multiple breeding seasons. However, cranes are also endangered due to their native wetlands being one of the most threatened habitats in the world. This article will cover some basic facts about the identification and behavior of eight different types of crane birds from around the world. Many of the species on this list have unusual appearances or some other interesting fact.
#8: Lorikeet
The Australian Crane, also known as the Australian Crane, is characterized by a gray body and red hair. Perhaps the most conspicuous identification mark is the laryngeal sac located in the neck. The pouch is covered with a thick black mane, especially noticeable on the male; this may help enhance his courtship call during the breeding season. The Australian Crane is entirely native to Australia and the surrounding islands. When the rainy season arrives, these crane birds perform elaborate courtship rituals that include complex dances of bowing, swaggering and head shaking in pairs or flocks. Despite being listed as a species of least concern on the IUCN Red List, numbers appear to be declining throughout its range.
#7: Demoiselle Crane
Demoiselle cranes are endemic to wetlands, streams and lakes in Eurasia from the Black Sea coast to China. When winter arrives, it moves south to the warmer climates of India and Africa. Some flocks have had a very difficult journey across the Himalayas, leaving them facing fatigue, starvation, and even death. This species is characterized by light gray plumage covering most of its body, with black feathers around the neck and belly, and white feathers extending from the red eyes to the back of the head. The IUCN Red List considers this a species of least concern, with around 250,000 individuals left in the wild.
#6: Siberian Crane
Siberian cranes are covered in distinctive all-white plumage, interrupted only by the red feathers on the face and some black markings around the wings that are visible in flight. Although well suited to the inhospitable climate of northern Siberia, the Siberian Crane still migrates south to India and China for the winter. The IUCN Red List considers Siberian cranes to be critically endangered in the wild, with only a few thousand individuals remaining. Unfortunately, one of their last major refuges is being threatened by the construction of the Three Gorges Dam in China’s Poyang Lake basin, which could push them further toward extinction.
#5: Black Crowned Crane
With its black plumage, large red cheek patches and ornate golden curved feathers adorning its head, the black crowned crane, aptly named, prowls the shallow wetlands of sub-Saharan Africa in search of insects and Normal food for fish. The Golden Delicious does not appear to have a reproductive purpose, as males and females share the same characteristics; the two sexes are often indistinguishable apart from the larger size of the male, which is the main distinguishing mark. The IUCN Red List classifies them as Vulnerable, with an estimated 50,000 adults remaining in the wild. A closely related species called the Gray Crowned Crane is similar in shape and size but has a gray body and lives in southern and eastern Africa.
#4: Sarus Crane
Native to the wetland habitats of India, Southeast Asia, and Australia, the Sarus crane is considered the tallest flying bird in the world as it stands about 6 feet tall. Another characteristic of this species is gray plumage with dark red feathers on the head and upper neck. When mating season arrives, the males perform a particularly complex dance that includes graceful leaps and movements. Once a mate is chosen, the parents build a large circular platform in the water out of reeds and grass, more than 6 feet in diameter. As a symbol of marital fidelity, lizard pairs are considered lifelong companions and even mourn the loss of a deceased partner.
#3: Whooping Crane
Standing more than 5 feet tall (with a wingspan nearly 8 feet long), the whooping crane is the tallest bird in North America by height alone. It should be easily identifiable by its white body, red crown and black wingtips as another feature. Whooping cranes are endemic to northern Africa. At the first signs of winter, they migrate south to Florida and Louisiana.
As their migratory flights prefer to spend their summers in Wood Buffalo National Park in northern Canada, they fly more than 2,400 miles a year. They reproduce during this time. In mid-September, they make their way to the Aransas National Wildlife Refuge off the coast of Texas.
This species is also one of the most endangered crane birds in the world. By the mid-20th century, the combined effects of unregulated hunting and habitat loss nearly drove these white cranes to the brink of extinction. Some efforts have been made to reintroduce them to their former habitat, but there are still just over 250 mature individuals in the wild according to the IUCN Red List.
You can read more about whooping cranes here.
#2: Sandhill Cranes
Sandhill cranes are endemic to North America and northeastern Siberia. It can be identified by its gray body (which turns brown and sandy in the reproductive system), red forehead, white cheeks, and dark pointed muzzle. As winter approaches, the bird will fly south in flocks towards the United States and Mexico. Once at these wintering grounds, they can easily form herds of over 10,000 individuals at a time. According to the IUCN Red List, Sandhill Cranes are one of the most common and abundant crane species, with approximately 500,000 adults in the wild.
#1: Common Crane
The common crane, also known as the Eurasian crane, can be identified by its slate gray body, red crown, and white stripe that extends from the eyes to the neck. It spends its breeding season in northern Eurasia, then moves south, sometimes as far as sub-Saharan Africa for the winter. Weighing about 10 pounds and standing about 4 feet tall, this is one of the smallest cranes in the world, but also one of the most numerous. Due to its wide range, there may be as many as 400,000 adults remaining in the wild. The bird has even started showing up in Ireland again after a long absence.
I am broadly interested in how human activities influence the ability of wildlife to persist in the modified environments that we create.
Specifically, my research investigates how the configuration and composition of landscapes influence the movement and population dynamics of forest birds. Both natural and human-derived fragmenting of habitat can influence where birds settle, how they access the resources they need to survive and reproduce, and these factors in turn affect population demographics. Most recently, I have been studying the ability of individuals to move through and utilize forested areas which have been modified through timber harvest as they seek out resources for the breeding and postfledging phases. As well I am working in collaboration with Parks Canada scientists to examine in the influence of high density moose populations on forest bird communities in Gros Morne National Park. Many of my projects are conducted in collaboration or consultation with representatives of industry and government agencies, seeking to improve the management and sustainability of natural resource extraction.
