Crane (bird)
Large, long-legged birds found on most continents except Antarctica and South America.
Cranes are large birds with long legs and necks, belonging to the biological family Gruidae of the order Gruiformes. The family includes 15 species placed in four genera: Antigone, Balearica, Leucogeranus, and Grus. They are known for their tapering form, long secondary feathers on the wing that project over the tail, and muted gray or white plumages often marked with black and red bare patches on the face, though crowned cranes have vibrantly coloured wings and golden feather crowns. Cranes fly with necks extended outward and legs outstretched. They live on most continents except Antarctica and South America, with some species migrating long distances and others remaining sedentary. Cranes are solitary during breeding but gregarious in non-breeding seasons, forming large flocks. They are opportunistic feeders, eating small rodents, bird eggs, fish, amphibians, insects, grain, and berries. They build platform nests in shallow water, typically laying two eggs, with both parents rearing the young until the next breeding season. Many crane species are threatened or critically endangered due to human activities; the whooping crane's plight inspired early US endangered species legislation.
- Family
- Gruidae
- Order
- Gruiformes
- Number of species
- 15
- Genera
- Antigone, Balearica, Leucogeranus, Grus
- Heaviest species
- Red-crowned crane (up to 12 kg)
- Smallest species
- Demoiselle crane (90 cm)
Lore & Background
Males and females appear similar externally, though males are slightly larger. Plumage varies by habitat: species in vast open wetlands tend to be whiter and larger, while those in smaller wetlands or forests are more grey and smaller, helping them remain inconspicuous while nesting. Some species, like the common and sandhill cranes, daub their feathers with mud, possibly to hide during nesting. Most crane species have bare patches of skin on their heads that can expand to communicate aggression; species lacking these use specialized feather tufts. The trachea's position and length are important for communication: crowned cranes have a shorter trachea, while other species have longer tracheae that penetrate the sternum, amplifying calls to carry for several kilometres.
Reader's Guide
Cranes have a cosmopolitan distribution, absent only from Antarctica and South America. East Asia has the highest diversity with eight species, followed by Africa with five resident species and wintering populations of a sixth. Australia, Europe, and North America each have two regularly occurring species. The genus Balearica is restricted to Africa, Leucogeranus to Asia, while Grus and Antigone are widespread. Many species depend on wetlands and grasslands, nesting in shallow wetlands. Some move chicks to grasslands or uplands to feed, returning to wetlands at night; others remain in wetlands throughout breeding. The Sarus Crane in south Asia uniquely breeds in agricultural fields alongside high human density, due to positive farmer attitudes. In Australia, Brolgas and Sarus Cranes achieve sympatry by using different habitats. The only cranes that roost in trees are the two African crowned cranes. Some crane species are sedentary, others highly migratory, and a few like Sarus Cranes have both migratory and sedentary populations. Cranes are diurnal, territorial during breeding, and gregarious in non-breeding seasons, forming large flocks to roost, socialize, and feed.
Did You Know?
- Cranes fly with their necks extended outward, not bent into an S-shape, and with their long legs outstretched.
- The whooping crane's plight inspired some of the first US legislation to protect endangered species.
- The heaviest crane is the red-crowned crane, which can weigh 12 kg prior to migrating.
- The only cranes that roost in trees are the two African crowned cranes (genus Balearica).
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