Sarus crane
From Wild India
(Grus Antigone)
Hear the bird (http://www.indiabirds.com/birdsounds/saruscrane.mp3) (Copyright: Vijay Cavale)
The Sarus Crane is the only resident breeding crane in India and southeast Asia, and is the world’s tallest flying bird. It is also India's largest bird.
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Identification
This is the tallest crane species standing at six feet tall, with a wingspan of eight feet. The body plumage is light gray. The crown is covered with smooth greenish skin. The rest of the head, throat and upper neck are covered with rough orange/red skin. The ear is marked by a small area of grayish-white feathers on each side of the face. Long, black hair-like bristles cover parts of the upper throat and neck. In the Indian Sarus Crane G. a. antigone white feathers form a collar between the bare reddish skin of the upper neck and the gray feathers of the lower neck. Legs and toes are a shade of red. Males and females are virtually indistinguishable but within pairs, females are usually smaller than males.
The heads of juveniles are covered with cinnamon brown feathers, and the grayish ear patch is not yet obvious. The body plumage changes from cinnamon brown to gray as the bird matures.
Range
Three populations of the Sarus Crane are currently recognised and each occupies a distinct range. The Indian Sarus Crane population is found in Pakistan, northern and central India and Nepal.
Breeding and Nesting
Sarus Cranes form life-long pair bonds, and return to the same breeding grounds year after year.
Mated pairs of Sarus Cranes, engage in unison calling, which consists of a complex and extended series of calls where male and female vocalizations differ but are coordinated. The birds stand in a specific posture, usually with their heads thrown back and beaks skyward during the display. In Sarus Cranes the female initiates the display and utters two calls for each male call. The male always lifts up his wings over his back during the unison call, while the female keeps her wings folded at her sides. All cranes engage in dancing, which includes various behaviours such as bowing, jumping, running, stick or grass tossing, and wing flapping. Dancing can occur at any age and is commonly associated with courtship. However, it is generally believed to be a normal part of motor development for cranes and can serve to thwart aggression, relieve tension, and strengthen the pair bond.
Sarus Crane nests are made of marsh vegetation and built on the ground, often in flooded paddy fields or marshes. They lay 2 white eggs per clutch. The female incubates for 31-34 days, with the male taking short turns while she feeds. The chicks are yellowish-brown, with 2 dark brown lines down the back. They stay in the nest for several days, and then begin to follow the parents. They fledge when they are about 3 months old, and are mature at 2-3 years.
Threats and Conservation Status
Wetland loss and degradation are critical problems throughout the range of Sarus Cranes. Heavy chick loss because of the wildlife trade is currently limiting population numbers of the Sarus Crane. Destruction of wetlands due to agricultural expansion, however, is increasing dramatically and poses a significant threat as well. These threats reflect increasing human population pressures.
The future of the Indian Sarus Crane is closely tied to the quality of small wetlands in India that experience heavy human use, such as; high rates of sewage inflow, extensive agricultural runoff, high levels of pesticide residues, and intensification of agricultural systems. Cranes have died due to pesticide poisoning in India.
Classified as Vulnerable (VU A2cde + 3cde) on the IUCN Red List 2004. Listed on Appendix II of CITES and Appendix II of the Convention on Migratory Species (CMS or Bonn Convention).
Interesting Facts
- To the natives of India, the Sarus Crane is a symbol of a happy marriage. Crane pairs perform elaborate courtship dances, combining leaping, bowing, prancing, and calling in duet.
- The bare skin on the head and neck changes in color and intensity with the bird’s mood, providing another way for the cranes to communicate.
- Sarus Cranes are very powerful fliers, and are most often seen flying in a line or V-formation.
- They are very hardy birds, able to survive severe winters.
External Links
http://www.npwrc.usgs.gov/resource/distr/birds/cranes/grusanti.htm
Further photos at http://www.orientalbirdimages.org/search.php?action=searchresult&Bird_ID=821
