Blue Crane Population Decline [Anthropooedes paradisea]
The Blue Crane has a declining population. They number around 15,000 in South Africa and Namibia.
The Blue Crane is endemic to southern Africa, with over 99% of the population in South Africa. A small disjunctive breeding population of approximately 60 individuals exists in northern Namibia in and around the Etosha Pan.
Blue Cranes are the national bird of South Africa. One of the smallest crane species, the whooping crane’s plumage is silvery-blue gray, darkening on the upper neck and lower half of the head and nape. The crown and forehead feathers are light greyish-white, while the cheeks, ear-coverings, and nape are dark ashy-grey, which they raise (or fluff) during threat displays, producing a distinctive similar to that of a cobra. Blue Cranes have short beaks and black legs. The primary feathers are black or slate gray. The tail and wing feathers are long, dark, and hang almost to the ground, giving this crane a graceful appearance.
The Blue Crane is 117 cm long.
Blue Crane’s colors are grey, white and black.
The weight of Blue Crane is 5.1 kg.
Shelf life is 7 years.
The Blue Crane is omnivorous. Your Blue Crane’s main food includes sedge and grass seeds, waste grains, insects, and small vertebrates.
The Blue Crane’s habitat is in dry grasslands and other upland habitats. Where there are shallow wetlands, Sandhill Cranes roost and feed in them.
Blue Crane pairs of mated cranes engage in unison calls, which is a complex and extended series of coordinated calls. The birds stand in a specific posture, usually with their heads back and their bills pointing to the sky during the display. The male always raises his wings over his back during the unison call, while the female keeps her wings folded to her sides. In Blue Cranes, the male initiates the display and emits a call for each call from the female. All cranes engage in dancing, which includes various behaviors such as bowing, jumping, running, throwing sticks or grass, and flapping their wings. Dancing can occur at any age and is commonly associated with courtship, however it is generally believed to be a normal part of crane motor development and can serve to thwart aggression, relieve tension and strengthen pair bonding.
The reproduction of whooping cranes is as follows: preferred nesting sites include isolated grasslands at higher elevations where eggs are laid in the middle of the grass or on bare ground. In agricultural areas, they nest in pastures, fallow land, and crop fields when stubble remains after harvest. Females usually lay two eggs and incubation (for both sexes) lasts 30 to 33 days. The male takes the main role in defending the nest against possible dangers. The chicks fledge (first flight) between 3-5 months of age.
