From Opus

Photo by Rajiv Lather
Bhutan

Grus nigricollis

[edit] Identification

115cm

• Bare red crown and lores scantly covered by black hairlike feathers
• Black head and upper part of the neck
• Small white or light grey spot near each eye
• Ashy grey body
• Whitish underparts
• Black tail
• Greyish upper tail coverts
• Black primaries and secondaries
• Yellow eyes
• Black legs and toes
  

Sexes similar although males slightly larger.
Juveniles - yellow brown crown, grey abdomen, black primaries and secondaries, greyish yellow back, black and white barring on neck. By one year of age the bird resembles the adult.

[edit] Distribution

Photo by alibenn
Location: Lashi Lake, Yunnan, China

Breeds Tibetan plateau; winters to ne India and s China.

[edit] Taxonomy

A monotypic species.

[edit] Habitat

They breed in high altitude wetlands, shallow marshes, streams, and pastures. They winter in lower elevation agricultural valleys.

[edit] Behaviour

[edit] Diet

The diet incudes plant roots and tubers, insects, snails, shrimp, fish, frogs, lizards, voles, and waste grains.

[edit] Breeding

Nests are built from mud, grass, sedges, and other aquatic plants, and are placed on small grassy islands or in the water. Two eggs are laid and are incubated by both parents for 30-33 days. The young fledge at approximately 90 days.

[edit] References

1. Saving Cranes.org

[edit] External Links