- Anthropoides paradiseus
Identification
Length 1.0-1.2 m, mass 4.2-5.8 kg, males larger than females
Plumage is blue-grey except for white crown and lores.
Similar Species
The Wattled Crane is similar, but has a grey crown and white neck.
Distribution
Southern Africa: Widespread in South Africa. There is an isolated breeding population in the Etosha National Park, Namibia. Marginal or vagrant in Lesotho, Swaziland, Botswana and Zimbabwe.
Taxonomy
- This is a monotypic species[1].
- Hybrids of the Blue Crane and the Wattled Crane are known from the wild.
Habitat
Grassland, short scrubland, wetlands, cultivated pastures and crop lands.
Behaviour
Diet
Food includes invertebrates, frogs, reptiles, fish, leaves and seeds.
Breeding
The nest is a thinly lined scrape on dry ground or pad of vegetative material on marshy ground. One or two eggs are laid October to February.
References
- Clements, JF. 2009. The Clements Checklist of Birds of the World. 6th ed., with updates to December 2009. Ithaca: Cornell Univ. Press. ISBN 978-0801445019.
- Hockey, PAR, WRJ Dean, and PG Ryan, eds. 2005. Roberts' Birds of Southern Africa. 7th ed. Cape Town: John Voelcker Bird Book Fund. ISBN 978-0620340533
- Claassens A & Marais E 2008. Species information page - Blue Crane http://www.birdlife.org.za/fieldguide. Downloaded 25 January 2008.
Recommended Citation
- BirdForum Opus contributors. (2024) Blue Crane. In: BirdForum, the forum for wild birds and birding. Retrieved 3 June 2024 from https://www.birdforum.net/opus/Blue_Crane
