Cranes · Cranes and rails
Demoiselle Crane
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Grus virgo
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Voice
Call
Call
Call
How to recognize it
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Body length 85–100 cm
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Bluish-grey body, black head and neck
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Long white stripe along the neck; black feathers trail down over the chest
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In flight, neck and legs stretched out; flies relatively low
About the species
A blue-grey body contrasts with a mostly black head and neck, while long white feathers trail from behind the eyes. The black feathers continue down the front of the neck onto the chest. A reddish-orange eye shows against the dark face, and its short bill is yellowish. Its legs are black.
Its clear, high trumpeting carries across open ground. During courtship, pairs call together, with the female answering each of the male’s calls; then they dance with quick steps, hops, tossed grass or twigs and wingbeats.
It breeds across open Eurasian grasslands, steppes and semi-deserts, usually where low vegetation lies near water, and also feeds in fields. Its diet includes plant parts, grain, legumes, insects and other small animals. After breeding, western populations migrate to Africa, while Asian populations winter on the Indian subcontinent.
Where to find
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Along cultivated fields near streams, rivers, or shallow lakes, look for Demoiselle Cranes feeding on plant matter and insects.
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During the breeding season, scan open patches of grass or bare ground for a nest set directly on the soil.
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On African or Indian-subcontinent wintering grounds, scan shallow open water after dark for silhouettes roosting there.
