the sarus crane ( antigone antigone ) is a large non-migratory crane found in parts of the indian subcontinent , southeast asia and australia .

the tallest of the flying birds , standing at a height of up to 1.8 m ( 5 ft 11 in ) , they are conspicuous and iconic species of open wetlands .

the sarus crane is easily distinguished from other cranes in the region by the overall grey colour and the contrasting red head and upper neck .

they forage on marshes and shallow wetlands for roots , tubers , insects , crustaceans and small vertebrate prey .

like other cranes , they form long-lasting pair-bonds and maintain territories within which they perform territorial and courtship displays that include loud trumpeting , leaps and dance-like movements .

in india they are considered symbols of marital fidelity , believed to mate for life and pine the loss of their mates even to the point of starving to death .

the main breeding season is during the rainy season , when the pair builds an enormous nest " island " , a circular platform of reeds and grasses nearly two metres in diameter and high enough to stay above the shallow water surrounding it .

sarus crane numbers have declined greatly in the last century and it has been suggested that the current population is a tenth or less ( perhaps 2.5 % ) of the numbers that existed in the 1850s .

the stronghold of the species is in india , where it is traditionally revered and lives in agricultural lands in close proximity to humans .

elsewhere , the species has been extirpated in many parts of its former range .

sarus crane

sarus crane <EOT> sarus crane : feeding . sarus crane ( grus antigone ) feeding in its natural habitat and lighting conditions sarus crane ( grus antigone ) . a sarus crane ( grus antigone ) feeding in the water sarus crane pair in a misty morning seen at bharatpur . rajasthan , india sarus crane . a full shot of sarus crane in its natural habitat sarus crane pair dacing and courtship display at bharatpur . rajasthan , india sarus crane : pair . sarus crane ( grus antigone ) pair in its natural habitat sarus crane grus antigone in keoladeo ghana national park , bha . ratpur , rajasthan , india . sarus crane is the tallest of the flying birds sarus crane pair . close up photo of a sarus crane couple in keoladeo national park , bharatpur sarus crane calling . . sarus crane grus antigone calling portrait with beautiful background sarus crane . preening ( grus antigo portrait of sarus cranes . sarus crane grus antigone portrait with beautiful background sarus cranes courting . sarus crane grus antigone courting with beautiful background sarus cranes grus antigone in keoladeo ghana national park , bh . aratpur , rajasthan , india . sarus crane is the tallest of the flying birds sarus cranes grus antigone in keoladeo ghana national park , bh . aratpur , rajasthan , india . sarus crane is the tallest of the flying birds sandhill crane near the lake is drinking water . taken in florida cranes in beautiful pose . sarus crane ( grus antigone ) pair in its natural habitat cranes in beautiful pose . sarus crane grus antigone pair in its natural habitat pelican fishing in water seen at bharatpur . rajasthan , india

areas contained the highest number of sarus cranes . our analysis showed that the population of sarus crane

↓ india : sarus crane pair and goatherd . little is known about sarus - human interactions in australia

international crane foundation , 2015 . " sarus crane grus antigone " ( on - line ) . internation crane foundation . accessed may 29 , 2015 at urltoken .

the study areas where sarus crane were directly observed and nest sites were recorded .

description : sarus crane is the tallest crane species and of all flying birds , with a height of about 176 cm .

conservation of the species . we studied the sarus crane in the rupandehi district of nepal

sarus crane ( antigone antigone ) is a species of bird in the gruidae family .

the current range of the indian sarus crane includes the plains of northwestern india , the western half of nepal’s terai lowlands and parts of pakistan . the eastern sarus crane occurs in myanmar , laos , vietnam and cambodia . the australian sarus crane occurs in northern australia .

sarus crane – grus antigone complete detail . description of sarus crane – grus antigone – saras . classification of sarus crane . habit and habitat of sarus crane . they prefer wetlands areas . they also found in cultivated areas , canals , ponds , and marshes . during dry season , sarus crane is found in shallow wetlands , cultivated fields , and wet grasslands . they roost in shallow water , where they may be safe from some ground predators .

indian sarus crane chick , the second egg is pipping ( india , k . s . gopi sundar ) ; australian sarus crane egg ( mhnt , muséum de toulouse , see sidebar )

↑ l : atherton tablelands , sarus crane hunting invertebrates in hayfield ( sandy carroll ) ; r : india , sarus crane pecking rice grains from the stalks ( k . s . gopi sundar )

marital fidelity and congregation of indian sarus crane , grus antigone antigone in and around alwara . . .

whooping cranes are the least common crane species . red - crowned cranes are the second rarest crane species .

the idea for an eastern sarus crane reintroduction program in thailand " hatched " at an international . . .

indian sarus crane shaking and stretching wings to dry off after bathing ( k . s . gopi sundar )

during the breeding season , the red legs , head , and neck of the sarus crane turn brighter .

eastern sarus cranes , phu my nature reserve , vietnam . courtesy mr pau tang & international crane foundation .

the sarus crane occurs in india , south - east asia and australia . genetic studies indicate it ' s more than 30 , 000 years since australian sarus cranes interbred with sarus from se asia , and there is no known migration of australian sarus outside northern australia .

sarus crane is found in the northern , central and north - eastern pars of india . sultanpur bird sanctuary ,

longevity of sarus crane exceeds up to 15 - 20 years in the wild and for 40 years in captivity .

mukharjee a , soni vc , borad ck , et al . 2000 . nest and egg of sarus crane (

conservation of the vulnerable sarus crane grus antigone antigone in kota , rajasthan , india : a case . . .

↑ eastern sarus cranes , phu my nature reserve , vietnam ; courtesy mr pau tang & international crane foundation .

population structure , behavior , and current threats to the sarus crane ( grus antigone antigone ) in n . . .

if a sarus crane lays two eggs , there is a 48 - hour gap between the first and second egg .

sarus crane habitat is meagerly protected within reserves . in india , most sarus cranes are found scattered throughout private and village lands , but they do occur in many protected areas , including

reducing threats to sarus crane populations from power line collisions , illegal conversion of wetlands and poisoning by agricultural and industrial chemicals .

they have black hair like bristles cover the upper throat and neck . the crown of sarus crane is grey or dirty white .

range : sarus crane is resident in n pakistan and india , nepal , south - east asia , and queensland in australia .

natural resource management group southern gulf nrm is continuing its recognition of champions of the land with the organisation’s annual sarus crane awards .

a sarus crane flock rests beside a bustling village in central uttar pradesh . very little is known about sarus flocks , and our work is leading to new understanding of their requirements and behaviour .

sarus crane is regarded as the threatened species . it is currently listed in the schedule iv of the wildlife ( protection ) act , 1972 . iucn ( red list ) classifies sarus crane as vulnerable . the total population of sarus crane approximately lies between 13 , 500 to 15 , 500 . loss of wetland areas , egg damage by the humans and heavy use of pesticides has seriously declined the population of sarus crane . it is widely haunted by the villagers and is also used for the trade purpose in many countries .

listen to short calls of sarus cranes» and brolgas» on ozcranes . long calls of australian sarus and brolgas in the field can be played for comparison at new zealand birds online . listen to a sarus crane calling near the curtain fig , yungaburra , atherton tableland .

the sarus crane ( grus antigone ) is a resident breeding bird in northern india , nepal , southeast asia and queensland , australia .

mukherjee a . , borad c . k . and parasharya b . m . 2002 . the factors affecting distribution of the indian sarus crane

sarus crane ( antigone antigone ) is a flagship species . its population is declining globally . first recorded in 1877 in nepal , so far only a few studies have been conducted on sarus crane and results of these studies confirm their declining state . based on previous studies , the author reviewed the status of sarus crane in nepal . studies show that it is uncommon with patchy distribution from . . . [ show full abstract ]

↓ gulf of carpentaria . l : sarus subadult foraging on edge of borrow pit , miranda downs . r : sarus crane and juvenile hunting in borrow pit , gilbert river ( k . s . gopi sundar )

material from philippines sarus is being included in genetic analyses for the first time as part of tim nevard ' s phd study» , with the potential to add insight into relationships between the different forms of sarus crane .

in india , they found in west bengal , assam , gujarat , punjab and uttar pradesh . sarus crane also found in bihar and rajasthan .

they prefer wetlands areas . sarus crane also found in cultivated areas , canals , ponds , and marshes . during dry season , sarus crane is found in shallow wetlands , cultivated fields , and wet grasslands . they roost in shallow water , where they may be safe from some ground predators .

embed this arkive thumbnail link ( " portlet " ) by copying and pasting the code below . < a href = " urltoken " title = " arkive species - sarus crane ( grus antigone ) " > < img src = " urltoken " alt = " arkive species - sarus crane ( grus antigone ) " title = " arkive species - sarus crane ( grus antigone ) " border = " 0 " / > < / a >

the size of a crane egg depends on the species . the larger the crane , the larger the egg . the largest of crane eggs will be about 4 . 6 inches long . they are usually tan with brown speckles .

birdlife international , 2015 . " sarus crane antigone antigone " ( on - line ) . birdlife international . accessed april 02 , 2015 at urltoken .

flight : sarus crane flies with straight neck , and long legs trailing behind them . they perform powerful wing beats , and they are good fliers .

↑ indian sarus crane . the bird has dunked its head right underwater to probe for tubers , water flows off the bill as it lifts it head

range of sarus crane includes the plains of northern , northwestern , and western india and the western half of nepalís tarai lowlands . sarus cranes are most common in the indian states of uttar pradesh , rajasthan , gujarat , and

diet : sarus crane is omnivorous , feeding on wide range of food items such as aquatic plants including sedge tubers , rice , seeds and other grains , snails , crustaceans , grasshoppers and other large insects , amphibians , reptiles , fish and small vertebrates . sarus crane forages in both wetlands and uplands .

securing the sarus crane population in south asia through community - supported conservation practices and governmental policies that maintain the rich biodiversity of agricultural landscapes . we are :

sarus crane is a schedule – iv bird , according to wildlife ( protection ) act , 1972 and classified as vulnerable ( vu ) by the iucn .

the sarus crane is the tallest flying bird in the world , standing at a height of up to 180 cm . size of adult sarus crane is between 140 to 160 cm . the weight of adult is between 5 . 0 to 8 . 4 kg . they have a wingspan of 200 to 280 cm .

behaviour : sarus crane feeds on wide range of wetland plants materials , seeds and grains , and also large insects , molluscs , amphibians , reptiles and small vertebrates . when searching for food , sarus crane walks slowly , head down . it does not dig , but it probes the soil with its long bill .

sarus crane is resident in australia and india , with only some seasonal dispersion in dry period . we can observe some limited migrations in south - east asia .

vyas r . and kulshreshtha m . 1989 . sarus nidification , egg and embryo . paper presented in the asian crane congress at rajkot , gujarat , india .

sarus cranes live in southeast asia , northern india and in northern australia . three populations are currently recognized , each one occupying a distinct range . the indian sarus crane lives in northern and central india , pakistan and nepal . the eastern sarus crane used to live throughout southeast asia but now is confined to vietnam and cambodia , with a small population in myanmar . the australian sarus crane lives in northern australia . these cranes live mainly in wetlands such as canals , marshes and ponds , sometimes near humans . they inhabit cultivated areas too , and high - altitude wetlands . breeding is further inland , but always in a wet area . during the dry season , the sarus crane occurs in shallow wetlands , wet grasslands or rice fields .

the sarus crane ( grus antigone antigone ) is listed as “vulnerable” in the international union for conservation of nature ( iucn ) red list of threatened species . sarus cranes are distributed in the lowlands , but most live outside protected areas , especially in agricultural areas and wetlands of nepal . the continuous expansion of agricultural land and the reduction of wetland habitats pose the greatest threats to the conservation of the species . we studied the sarus crane in the rupandehi district of nepal to understand their population structure , behavior , and current threats . we used the line ( i . e . , road ) transect method from august 2013 to february 2014 . the study area contained 147 sarus cranes . agricultural land and wetland areas contained the highest number of sarus cranes . our analysis showed that the population of sarus crane in the area has declined since 2007 . most sarus cranes lived in pairs . a single flock contained 13 cranes at maximum . sarus crane behavior was not significantly different before and after the breeding seasons . human–sarus crane conflict began when cranes started utilizing agricultural areas . the main threats to the hatching success and survival of sarus cranes in the rupendehi district are egg theft and the hunting of cranes for meat . the findings of this study establish baseline information on the overall conservation status , habitat availability , and ecological behavior of sarus cranes in the district . we propose regular surveys to monitor sarus crane population levels in the face of multiple anthropogenic threats to their survival .

crane papercut ©cranesnorth | site ©cranesnorth & authors | xhtml1 . 0 : : css 3

adult sandhill crane ; steveston waterfront , richmond , bc , canada ; 18 august .

the range , status and winter ecology of the siberian crane ( gus leucogenanus ) .

a positive correlation was observed between the crane numbers and the area of agricultural land .

crane were also recorded as shown in tables 1 , 2 and fig . 1 .

voice : sounds by xeno - canto sarus crane utters loud , high - pitched calls . during courtship displays , female utters two calls while male gives only one .

desai r . m . 1980 . studies in the biology of the indian sarus crane , m . phil . thesis , south gujarat university , surat , india .

sarus cranes in seasonally - flooded savannah woodlands , gulf of carpentaria : the only known major breeding habitat for australian sarus ( k . s . gopi sundar )

mortality of sarus cranes ( grus antigone ) due to electricity . . | inis

was it the sarus that valmiki referred to ? in different literature , the krauñcha has been described as a dove , flamingo , swan , snipe , curlew or even a demoiselle crane . the wiki for demoiselle crane has a reference to krauñcha and valmiki . however , more recent studies have established the identity of valmiki’s krauñcha pair as sarus cranes .

our monthly summary of media stories highlighting the international crane foundation’s global programs . . . .

adult sandhill crane ; bosque del apache nwr , socorro co . , nm ; january .

crane is inseparably associated with wetland habitats . several investigators have tried to study different aspects of

crane was recorded in all the three transects of the lake as shown in images 3–5 .

sarus crane is a monogamous bird and well known as an eternal symbol of unconditional love , devotion and good fortune . its occurrence represents a healthy wetland ecosystem . these cranes are large , long - legged and long - necked birds belonging to family : gruidae , order : gruiformes , class : aves and phylum : chordata . indian sarus crane , grus antigone antigone is the largest of the crane species . . . [ show full abstract ]

sarus crane footsteps are larger than a grown man ' s hand , as shown by this photograph from a trapeang ( watering hole ) in mondulkiri protected forest , northeastern cambodia .

( 26 . 31 % ) were stolen by people . killing of some juvenile sarus

muralidharan s . 1992 . poisoning the sarus . hornbill 1 : 2 - 7 .

sarus spreading wings in nest defence display ( research intruder ) , and sarus pair duetting in rice field . uttar pradesh , india ( k . s . gopi sundar )

↑ sarus dance in rupandehi , nepal . ↓ two out of three young indian sarus , in one brood ( ‘triplets’ ) . images by k . s . gopi sundar

habitat : sarus crane lives mainly in various wetlands such as canals , ponds , marshes , even near humans . they can be found in cultivated areas too , and also in high - altitude wetlands . they breed more inland , but always in wet areas . during dry season , sarus crane is found in shallow wetlands , rice fields or wet grasslands .

ozcranes is the website of the australian crane network so mainly concentrates on australian sarus cranes» , but we often refer to studies and include images from better - studied populations elsewhere . by contrast , this page specifically features resources and images for sarus cranes in other countries .

securing crane dry season habitats in the mekong delta and breeding habitats in northern cambodia and vietnam by strengthening conservation practices at existing crane sites and safeguarding small remnant wetlands that cranes could use .

archibald gw , sundar ksg , barzen j . 2003 . a review of three species of sarus crane grus antigone . j . of ecological soc . 16 : 5 - 15 .

eggs 2 to 3 , chalky white . incubation period is between 27 to 35 days . both parents take part in incubation . the average lifespan of sarus crane is 20 years .

reproduction : sarus crane breeds during wet season in its range . they nest on the ground . bulky nest is made with wetland vegetation . nest materials are associated with breeding habitat .

. very little is known about sarus - human interactions in australia , though observers and photographers agree that sarus seem more wary and prone to flight than brolgas in similar conditions .

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 . the eastern sarus crane population was historically found throughout southeast asia but is now confined to cambodia and vietnam , with a small remnant population persisting in myanmar . finally , the australian sarus crane population is found in northern australia . although the indian population is largely resident , the eastern sarus crane populationin indochina migrates from breeding areas in cambodia to the mekong delta in vietnam outside of the breeding season ( 2 ) . there has been recent debate as to whether these populations are in fact distinct subspecies . however , a recent genetic assessment of the populations suggests that although previously classified as subspecies , they may not be genetically diverse enough to allow them to be regarded as such , and therefore should be regarded only as separate populations ( 6 ) .

liebherr - installation work of a ltc 1045 - 3 . 1 mobile crane in carcassonne , france

in the area has declined since 2007 . most sarus cranes lived in pairs . a single

study . our study found that the density of sarus cranes as 4 . 2 in -

singh v . p . and khan s . a . 1989 . status of sarus (

there are four surviving sarus crane populations : south asia ( india , with some in nepal ) ; eastern ( southeast asia , mostly cambodia and vietnam ) ; myanmar - china ; and australia . these were previously thought to be three sub - species , combining myanmar and southeast asia , with the extinct philippines sarus as a possible fourth . genetic studies now show gradual variation across the range [ 1 ] , with myanmar - china sarus distinct from the eastern sarus . philippines sarus cranes are now being studied for the first time ( see below ) .

there have been no systematic studies of crane behaviour in australia , and for sarus cranes we even have few observations . roost behaviour , unison calling , pairbonding and dance displays are believed similar to

our monthly summary of media stories highlighting the international crane foundation ' s global programs . . . .

( blashfield , 2004 ; international crane foundation , 2015 ; yaseen , et al . , 2013 )

image : bugeranus carunculatus . jpg | thumb | right | a crane ( bird ) . wikipedia see | crã¢ne english image : towercrane . jpg | thumb | right | a crane ( mechanical ) .

world association of zoos and aquariums , 2015 . " sarus crane grus antigone " ( on - line ) . world association of zoos and aquariums waza . accessed april 01 , 2015 at urltoken .

the image of the australian sarus crane egg is by d descouens from the collection of mhnt ( muséum de toulouse ) and used under a creative commons attribution - share alike 4 . 0 international licence

borad c . k . , mukherjee a . and parasharya b . 2001a . nest site selection by the indian sarus crane in the paddy crop agroecosystem . biological conservation 98 : 89 - 96 .

a comprehensive literature review for south asian sarus – ks gopi sundar & bc choudhury ( 2003 ) , ‘the indian sarus crane grus a . antigone : a literature review’ . journal of ecological society 15 : 5 - 15 – can be read online or downloaded free in various formats from urltoken .

, there are a lot of positives in australia . brolgas and sarus cranes are widely respected across the pastoral rangelands or farmlands where they nest , and later feed and roost in flocks . the birds keep coming back , implying many properties are managed positively for brolgas and sarus cranes . for more on habitat and conservation , continue on to ozcrane brolga and sarus crane faqs , and check ozcranes

habitat availability , and ecological behavior of sarus cranes in the district . we propose regular surveys to

and other sarus ( see links below ) . flight behaviour for both species is covered in ozcranes

sundar , k . s . g . ( 2006 ) conservation of the sarus crane grus antigone in uttar pradesh , india . journal of the bombay natural history society , 103 : 182 - 190 .

sarus cranes drink and bathe every morning and evening and often also during the day . unlike brolgas they have no specialised gland for excreting salt , but some eastern sarus cranes roost in saline wetlands and indian sarus sometimes feed on beaches and would ingest some salt from prey . sarus cranes have been seen on the beach at karumba , queensland ( j grant ) . there appear to be no published observations of australian sarus drinking , to document whether they drink brackish as well as fresh water .

the sarus crane , a bird species characteristic of wetlands , is categorized as vulnerable on the iucn red list . in india , sarus cranes occur mostly outside protected areas and use these unprotected areas for feeding and breeding . they are consequently threatened by poaching and the destruction of their eggs and juveniles . to protect the crane ' s habitat and nests a community education and . . . [ show full abstract ]

2016 ) . although state and federal authorities list sarus crane as “common” or “least concern” wildlife , it is included as a migratory species covered by international treaties to which australia is a signatory ( e . scambler

[ 2 ] tin nwe latt , 2016 . sarus crane taxonomy , habitat and wetland conservation status in shan plateau and rakhine state . conference presentation , wetlands alliance cambodia : currently ( june 2017 ) offline .

in india , sarus cranes nest during the annual monsoon , when yearly rains replenish the . . .

australian sarus cranes are mostly concentrated as shown , in far north queensland and the far ne of the northern territory . occasional records occur s of the area shown , and across the top end . sarus

borad c . k . , mukherjee a . and parasharya b . m . 2001b . damage potential of the indian sarus crane in paddy crop agroecosystem . agriculture , ecosystems and environment 86 : 211 - 215 .

authenticated ( 31 / 03 / 05 ) by k . s . gopi sundar , international crane foundation . urltoken

et al . ( 2002 ) observed that openness of habitat is a requirement for the existence of the crane .

the sarus crane is the world ' s tallest flying bird . this crane , when standing , is as tall as a man . these elegant birds are predominantly gray , with long , pale red legs . their naked head is red , as is their neck . juveniles have buff feathers on their head and slightly darker plumage .

the sarus crane ( grus antigone antigone ) , one of the world’s tallest flying birds , has been listed as ‘vulnerable’ in the iucn red list of threatened species . sarus cranes are distributed in the lowlands and most of them are found outside protected areas especially in agricultural areas and wetlands of nepal . continued expansion of agricultural land and reduction in wetland habitats pose the greatest threats to the conservation of the species . we conducted a study on sarus crane in rupandehi district of nepal and aiming to understand their population structure , behaviour and current threats .

in addition to ensuring that sarus cranes at the att are protected , conservation staff also conduct annual surveys of crane numbers to determine population size and monitor project success . education campaigns help to raise local awareness of sarus cranes , and a nest protection scheme protects the cranes at their key breeding sites in cambodia ' s northern plains .

jones , j . l . , barzen , j . a . and ashley , m . v . ( 2005 ) geographical partitioning of microsatellite variation in the sarus crane . animal conservation , 8 : 1 – 8 .

sundar , k . s . g . and choudhury , b . c . ( 2003 ) the indian sarus crane grus a . antigone : a literature review . journal of the ecological society , 16 : 16 - 41 .

sarus crane is omnivorous . it feeds on he diet includes frogs , reptiles , eggs of birds , turtles eggs , invertebrates , butterflies , grasshoppers , tubers of aquatic plants , cereals , potatoes , peas , berries and seeds .

during the breeding season , sarus cranes establish territories , but little is known about the size of the territories .

vation of nature ( iucn ) red list of threatened species . sarus cranes are distributed in the lowlands , but

ramachandran n . k . and vijayan v . s . 1994 . distribution and general ecology of the sarus (

my sanskrit teacher in school , mrs . sulabha v hubli , explained ma nishada in great detail with its many meanings and interpretations , imprinting the epic scene on my memory . a few months ago , i had attended shyamal’s talk , where he discussed melchior de hondecoeter’s 1680 artwork , het drijvend veertje , one of the most accurate representations of the sarus crane . the sarus crane ( grus antigone ) at the center of the frame got me thinking about this verse again .

sarus crane is a omnivorous bird . they feed on marshes , berries , seeds , roots , tubers , insects , frogs , reptiles , fishes , eggs of birds , invertebrates , butterflies , and grasshoppers . they forage in shallow water .

[ 1 ] gw archibald & sr swengel ( 1987 ) . ‘comparative ecology and behavior of eastern sarus cranes and brolgas in australia’ proceedings of the 1985 crane workshop , ed . jc lewis : 107 - 116 . download article from ozcranes downloads»

parasharya b . m . , mathew k . l . and yadav d . n . 1989 . status and habitat preference of indian sarus crane in gujarat , india . paper presented in the asian congress at rajkot , gujarat , india .

videos : brolga making single calls while walking through swamp ; indian sarus unison call at the nest ( youtube ) .

sundar , k . 2009 . are rice paddies suboptimal breeding habitat for sarus cranes in uttar pradesh , india ? .

are the only known stable areas for breeding sarus cranes in the state and have one breeding pair each . at the end of 1994 , icf signed an agreement with the lumbini development trust in nepal to lease 120 ha of land at lumbini , the birthplace of the buddha , to establish the lumbini crane sanctuary and to protect nepalís remnant population of sarus cranes .

strong cultural ties to cranes and wetlands in south / southeast asia provide unique opportunities to engage people in the conservation of these intensely settled landscapes using the sarus crane as a flagship species , which in turn also benefits local communities and other species .

in asia , most sarus cranes breed in cultivated rice ( more in cranes on farms 2» ) . breeding habitat in the gulf of carpentaria is in different types of flooded grassy woodlands or savannah . many ( though not all ) sarus crane pairs apparently choose different habitat types for their nest sites than brolgas , however some are found close to brolga pairs in other habitat types . for more detail and references see sarus faq2 and john grant ' s article on his ongoing gulf study» .

jones , k . l . , f . chavez - ramirez , x . galvez - aguilera , l . torella and m . v . ashley . 2005b . " genetic assessment of non - migratory sandhill crane populations . " in proceedings of the ninth north american crane workshop , edited by f . chavez - ramirez , 250 . sacramento : north american crane working group . close

prange h . 1995 . crane research and protection in europe . europeanworking group and martin luther ¨ universitat , halle - wittenberg .

conservation interventions focus on working with local communities , government agencies and other conservation partners to improve management and protection of sarus cranes at some of the most important non - breeding season refuges . the principal site is the ang trapeang thmor ( att ) sarus crane reserve , a permanently flooded , man - made reservoir situated in banteay meanchey province , north - west cambodia .

the main breeding season for sarus cranes typically lies within the rainy season , between the months of june and september . it has been suggested that sarus cranes will mate for life , though there has been little research to substantiate this claim .

the species is venerated in india and legend has it that valmiki cursed a hunter for killing a sarus and was then inspired to write the epic ramayana [ 1 ] . in australia , the sarus can easily be mistaken for the brolga .

the sarus crane is classified as vulnerable ( vu ) on the iucn red list ( 1 ) . listed on appendix ii of cites ( 3 ) and appendix ii of the convention on migratory species ( cms or bonn convention ) ( 4 ) .

gole p . 1987 . observing the sarus . in : archibald g . w . and pasquier r . f . ( eds ) , proceedings of the 1983 international workshop , bharatpur . international crane foundation , baraboo , pp . 107 - 114 .

brolgas are adapted to dry habitats provided water exists , even occupying some desert regions as well as higher rainfall areas ( see map in brolga faq 1» ) . all australian sarus cranes however , live in wet or seasonally wet regions in the northern tropics ( see maps in ozcranes crane intro» ) . brolgas occur throughout the range of australian sarus but based on records so far , seem to use a wider variety of habitats with sarus found mainly in swamp woodlands , swamps , croplands and grasslands .

migration : sarus cranes do not migrate but will make short seasonal movements between wet and dry habitats in asia and australia .

crane chicks grow very rapidly up to an inch per day some days , or five feet in three months . some growing crane chicks can put on almost one pound of weight for every pound of food they eat . in the wild , crane chicks may gain up to 20 % of their body weight per day , however , we limit them to about 10 % per day at icf .

although sarus cranes are non - migratory , populations move on a seasonal basis in response to monsoons and droughts . indian sarus cranes are more sedentary than eastern and australian sarus cranes , undertaking extended movement only during times of severe drought . the indian sarus crane have adapted to the high growth of human population and they are able to use even small wetlands if they are not heavily disturbed . breeding pairs and families with pre - fledged chicks are typically dispersed among scattered natural and artificial wetlands . adult pairs will use drier habitats such as cultivated and fallow fields , and degraded ( saline and water - logged ) lands . eastern sarus cranes are less tolerant of people and are dependent on natural wetlands in both the wet and dry seasons . australian sarus cranes nest in open wetlands during wet season and feed in upland agricultural fields and grasslands at other times of the year .

. in 2008 the atherton tablelands important bird area was established based on population distribution data from the annual counts , and continuing counts from 2009 monitor the iba and surrounding sites . authorities have flagged particular sections of powerline after sarus crane deaths or injuries were reported by concerned observers in the iba . the australian crane network ( website urltoken established in 2005 , remains a contact point for crane researchers , landowners and interested individuals , including international networks ; and provides updates on ongoing and completed research and conservation issues ( e . scambler

continuing mekong delta community - based wetland and livelihood conservation programs and adapting these models to other important crane areas in cambodia and vietnam .

in the last 50 years the eastern sarus crane has disappeared from thailand , malaysia and much of indochina . it is still in serious decline and multiple research and wetland conservation programs are underway in cambodia and vietnam . in thailand , a captive breeding program has released sarus into protected wetland areas in an attempt to restore the original population extinct since about 1980 . across southeast asia the major threats are wetland drainage or other habitat changes , as well as hunting , egg collection and taking sarus chicks as pets .

the sarus crane is the tallest flying bird in the world , standing at a height of up to 180 cm . size of adult sarus crane is between 140 to 160 cm . the overall body color is grey or dirty white . the upper neck and head is bright red in color . they have predominantly grey plumage . the bill is pointed , long and strong , the color of bill is paler grey or dirty white . the legs are also long and strong , and paler red or pinkish red in color .

indian sarus show high nest site fidelity [ 1 ] , returning year after year to nest in the same place . offspring also return to nest close to their birthplace , sometimes many years later . in uttar pradesh , a 1 - month old male indian sarus crane was banded at the nest by ks gopi sundar in 2001 . fourteen years later the bird returned , paired and established a nesting territory within 500m of the original nest . in australia , no sarus cranes have been tracked so these factors are unknown .

in mixed non - breeding season flocks one species usually predominates , but as yet there are no data on why brolgas concentrate in some dry season locations while sarus concentrate in others . even where mixed flocks forage during the day , the two species may choose different roost sites to spend the night . one example is the regular occurrence of feeding sarus cranes in the drier outer parts of the atherton tablelands , e . g . kaban and tumoulin , while roosts in these locations are almost exclusively used by brolgas ( see ozcranes research nq crane counts» ) . a significant phd study is now underway on brolga / sarus crane interactions and habitat differences in northern queensland .

crane , but the vegetation at the edge of the crop field and the type of crop grown also affected the availability of the cranes .

sarus cranes have grown accustomed to living in large agricultural areas , specifically along low wetlands and flooded rice paddies . they tend to prefer natural wetlands over agricultural paddies however , there is still debate on which habitat these birds prefer . extensive research has been performed to understand the interaction of the sarus crane with paddy ecosystems . paddies have become more desirable habitats for these cranes because nesting sites are situated in proximity to areas with an abundance of food . sarus cranes , though likely to use wetlands adjoining flooded rice paddies , also have the ability to make use of drier habitats relative to other crane species . they have also adapted well to the increased presence of human activity .

sarus cranes time their breeding with the indian monsoon aided by the farmers whose rice planting in the same time ensures a flooded landscape .

although the sarus crane was included in a set of postage stamps featuring important burmese birds in 1964 , very little is known about the sarus located in myanmar and adjoining parts of yunnan province , china . in his ‘catalogue of mammals and birds of burma’ ( 1875 ) , blyth described sarus as very numerous in the interior in large flocks , and cited a breeding reference . in ‘the birds of burma’ ( 1953 ) smythies gives more details of habitats and locations including breeding sites , and reports flocks of up to 60 in ‘mid - monsoon’ .

adult sandhill crane flying at bosque del apache national wildlife refuge , socorro county , new mexico in january 2011 . photo credit : terry cacek .

the sg is located at , and affiliated to , the nature conservation foundation , the international crane foundation , and the complutense university of madrid .

a positive correlation was observed between the crane numbers and the area of agricultural land , e . g . , paddy field , sugarcane field ,

although overhead electrical wires are known to have caused severe declines of bird populations , there are no studies in india that address this danger , even for endangered species . rates of mortality , factors affecting mortality and population effects of electrical wires on the globally endangered sarus crane ( grus antigone ) were assessed for breeding and non - breeding cranes in etawah and mainpuri districts , uttar pradesh , india . non - breeding cranes were most susceptible to wires and , within territories , mortalities were higher for pre - dispersed young . similar proportions of non - breeding and breeding cranes were killed , together accounting for nearly 1 % of the total sarus crane population annually . supply wires accounted for the majority of sarus crane deaths , and only non - breeding cranes were killed by both supply and high - tension power lines . non - breeding crane deaths at roost sites were correlated with numbers of roosting birds and numbers of wires at each site . over 40 % of 251 known sarus crane territories had at least one overhead wire posing a risk to breeding adults and pre - dispersed young . a risk index for wires over territories of cranes was computed ; mortality was not affected by increasing the number and therefore risk posed by wires . most crane deaths in territories occurred as a result of wires at edges of territories . wires around roosting sites , territoriality and age of sarus cranes appear to be the most important factors affecting their mortality due to wires . mitigation measures will be most effective around roost sites and for wires that border territories of breeding pairs . ( author )

the moon sets as the day begins for sarus cranes , storks , herons and hundreds of other species in india ' s gangetic floodplains .

in 2005 john grant published the first and only formal scientific paper so far , on sarus breeding success» in australia . mean recruitment rate for wintering sarus on the atherton tablelands was 6 . 5 % , this study has now covered 20 years . the study and its significance are discussed by k . s . gopi sundar in an ozcranes research report , breeding for success , a story of the sarus in queensland» .

sarus cranes utter loud , high - pitched calls . in courtship displays , the female gives two calls while the male gives only one .

the sarus crane is found in south - east asia and australia and is the tallest of the crane species . they have light grey wings and bodies . the head and the upper neck is red bare skin and the crown is greenish skin . their pointed bill is long and greenish - grey . the legs and feet are pink and their iris is orange - red . both sexes are plumage is similar but the male are larger .

the above article has been updated with the help of sh . k . s . gopi sundar , research associate , international crane foundation and principal coordinator , indian cranes and wetlands working group ( a program of the wildlife protection society of india and affiliated to the international crane foundation ) . email :

besides actual sightings , inquiries from local people were also made to ensure the estimate of existing population and their perceptions about the existence of the crane .

there are references to instances where bereaved sarus cranes have pined away to death . you may call this poignant episode and the female lamenting as anthropomorphic . maybe it is , maybe it is not . all i can say is , most of mankind has transformed into a more vicious form of the hunter of valmiki’s story . to make our lives better – be it in the form of more money , better infrastructure , real estate , agriculture – we destroy homes of not only the sarus crane , but of many other wild citizens . we kill them without giving a second thought . the sarus crane will continue to lament . there are people who narrate those stories . but will the audience read , listen and care ?

like brolgas , sarus cranes are omnivorous , eating many foods . however there are few feeding records for australian sarus . maize seeds , native plants including grasses , grasshoppers and rats have been recorded , and it ' s been suggested they may feed on plentiful pipis ( small molluscs ) along the shores of lake tinaroo , atherton tableland . there are occasional observations of sarus cranes stretching up to take ripe maize kernels from the cob on the edges of fields ( c edwards , j munro : atherton tablelands ) . dr john grant ' s 20 year study of sarus crane foraging on the atherton tablelands shows they feed preferentially on maize stubble , then plough , low - grazed pasture , and occasionally sugar cane trash .

as a predator on small vertebrates and invertebrates , sarus cranes play an important role in maintaining these populations . abundance of their eggs can also influence food sources for jackals and house crows . they also help maintain vegetation . sarus cranes can be primary , secondary , and tertiary consumers .

this page covers sarus crane habitats and behaviour , including interactions with brolgas . features , locations and population numbers are in faq 1 , food , water and breeding are in faq 2 , and conservation is covered in faq 4 . the cranes intro has background and comparisons including images and calls .

embed this arkive thumbnail link ( " portlet " ) by copying and pasting the code below . < a href = " urltoken " title = " arkive photo - pair of sarus cranes feeding " > < img src = " urltoken " alt = " arkive photo - pair of sarus cranes feeding " title = " arkive photo - pair of sarus cranes feeding " border = " 0 " / > < / a >

wwf - india has provided technical support for the restoration and management of key wetlands , , such as the surajpur wetland in greater noida , uttar pradesh . two wetlands in kanpur , uttar pradesh have been adopted for restoration activities . local communities are made aware of the hazards of releasing agrochemicals into the wetlands and discouraged to continue practices that would be detrimental to the health of the wetland . policy and advocacy : wwf - india played an instrumental role in setting up the sarus crane conservation committee in uttar pradesh . it also assists the state in developing projects to enhance sarus crane conservation initiatives .

there are 15 species in the crane family gruidae . according to the conservation status designations assigned by icf , six of the species are considered endangered . these are the blue , red - crowned , sarus , siberian , wattled , and whooping cranes . icf classifies another five species as vulnerable , including the black crowned , black - necked , grey crowned , hooded , and white - naped cranes . we have all 15 species of cranes at icf . the total number of cranes we have varies from season to season , but we normally have between 100 - 120 birds . we typically have up to 30 birds on display in the wattled crane exhibit , johnson exhibit pod , and whooping crane exhibit , with approximately 70 additional birds housed in crane city .

what made you want to look up sarus ? please tell us where you read or heard it ( including the quote , if possible ) .

sarus cranes fly with a straight neck , and their long legs trailing behind . they beat powerfully with their wings , and are good fliers .

adult florida sandhill crane ( a . c . pratensis ) from venice , florida in april . photo credit : d . mcnicholas . ; photographer david mcnicholas

plumage / molt like most cranes , molts annually during the post - breeding season . the main flight feathers are lost at the same time leaving the crane flightless

calls – hissing , shrill korrrs , and throaty hrrrrs . sarus crane utters loud , high - pitched calls . during courtship displays , female utters two calls while male gives only one . the unison call made by paired adults is the most well - known call and is a loud far - reaching trumpeting .

as the story goes , the female lamented with a pitch and tonal quality so deep in emotion , that compassion welled up within valmiki . julia leslie’s paper , a bird bereaved , does an exhaustive study of the verse , considering thirty two separate species , and eliminating all but one , the sarus crane .

sarus cranes are omnivores , foraging for a wide range of food including seeds and grains as well as frogs , lizards and grasshoppers ( 7 ) .

sarus cranes are monogamous and mate for life . they have long - lasting pair bonds and maintain territories within which they perform territorial and courtship displays .

ivey , g . l . , c . p . herziger and t . j . hoffman . 2005 . " annual movement of pacific coast sandhill cranes . " in proceedings of the ninth north american crane workshop , edited by f . chavez - ramirez , 25 - 36 . sacramento : north american crane working group . close