Blue Crane

Grus paradisea

Grasslands, vleis. All blue-grey except white crown, black wing-feathers. Bill yellowish.

Cranes

Endemic

Description

Uncommon endemic resident; vulnerable. Distinctive blue-grey, long-legged bird with bulbous head and long wing-plumes that look like a trailing tail. Immature lacks these plumes. The call is a loud, rattling, nasal ‘kraaaarrk’. Occurs in pairs and flocks in the Cape wheatfields and the Karoo; in hilly grassland, moist valleys, farmlands and lakesides elsewhere. Prefers fairly high altitudes and is nomadic when not breeding.

Quick Facts

Bird Family

Large, long-legged terrestrial birds, differing from storks in having short bills and being quite vocal. Like storks, they fly with heads and necks outstretched. They indulge in elaborate dancing displays with wings outstretched when courting, sometimes involving more than two birds. The South African populations of all three crane species have declined markedly in recent years. Whereas these cranes may be fairly common in some parts of southern Africa, their numbers have become very reduced in South Africa and all three species should be regarded as vulnerable.