The Sarus crane (Antigone antigone) is the world's tallest extant flying bird, standing at a height of up to 1.8 m (5 ft 11 in). This crane, when standing, is as tall as a man. In India, these birds 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 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.
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DiurnalDiurnal animals are active during the daytime, with a period of sleeping or other inactivity at night. The timing of activity by an animal depends ...
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OmnivoreAn omnivore is an animal that has the ability to eat and survive on both plant and animal matter. Obtaining energy and nutrients from plant and ani...
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SemiaquaticSemiaquatic animals are those that are primarily or partly terrestrial but that spend a large amount of time swimming or otherwise occupied in wate...
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Wading birdsWading birds forage along shorelines and mudflats searching for small aquatic prey crawling or burrowing in the mud and sand. These birds live in w...
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Soaring birdsSoaring birds can maintain flight without wing flapping, using rising air currents. Many gliding birds are able to "lock" their extended wings by m...
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PrecocialPrecocial species are those in which the young are relatively mature and mobile from the moment of birth or hatching. Precocial species are normall...
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TerritorialA territory is a sociographical area that which an animal consistently defends against the conspecific competition (or, occasionally, against anima...
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CongregatoryCongregatory animals tend to gather in large numbers in specific areas as breeding colonies, for feeding, or for resting.
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OviparousOviparous animals are female animals that lay their eggs, with little or no other embryonic development within the mother. This is the reproductive...
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MonogamyMonogamy is a form of relationship in which both the male and the female has only one partner. This pair may cohabitate in an area or territory for...
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FlockingFlocking birds are those that tend to gather to forage or travel collectively. Avian flocks are typically associated with migration. Flocking also ...
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Partial MigrantPartial migration is when within a migratory species or even within a single population, some individuals migrate while others do not.
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starts withThe adult Sarus crane is very large, with grey wings and body, a bare red head and part of the upper neck, a greyish crown, and a long, greenish-grey, pointed bill. In flight, the long neck is held straight, unlike that of a heron, which folds it back, and the black wing tips can be seen; the crane's long, pink legs trail behind them. This bird has a grey ear covert patch, orange-red irises, and a greenish-grey bill. Juveniles have a yellowish base to the bill and the brown-grey head is fully feathered. The bare red skin of the adult's head and neck is brighter during the breeding season. This skin is rough and covered by papillae, and a narrow area around and behind the head is covered by black, bristly feathers. The sexes do not differ in plumage, although males are on average larger than females.
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. Sarus cranes are largely nonmigratory, although some populations do migrate short distances. These birds 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.
Sarus cranes are regarded as the least social crane species. Especially when nesting, they can be very protective and are aggressive towards intruders. They can therefore be considered a territorial species. Breeding pairs remain close by areas that have ample water supply. Pairs that are non-breeding flock together in bigger wetland areas. Although breeding pairs are territorial, Sarus cranes form bigger flocks in the non-breeding season. The size of a flock usually depends on the wetland area. Within flocks, the cranes feed and roost. Sarus cranes are active during the day and sleep at night. They are known for dancing to attract mates. Characteristic loud trumpeting sounds may accompany these dances.
Sarus cranes are omnivorous and eat a wide range of food. Their diet includes aquatic plants like sedge tubers, seeds, rice, and other grains, crustaceans, snails, large insects such as grasshoppers, amphibians, reptiles, small vertebrates, and fish.
Sarus cranes are monogamous birds and pairs mate for life, however, "divorce" cases and mate replacement take place. The breeding season for these cranes is typically during the rainy season, from June to September. The birds perform courtship dances to attract attention and impress their mate. All age groups typically dance, from young fledglings which are developing their motor skills to bonded pairs displaying courtship. These birds nest on the ground. A bulky nest is formed from wetland vegetation. Females usually lay two eggs, occasionally three, and incubation lasts for around 31 to 34 days and is mainly done by the female, while the male defends the site of the nest. Chicks can follow the adults from the day they hatch, and they fledge 85 to 100 days from hatching when they are able to make their first flight.
Sarus cranes are threatened mainly by loss of habitat throughout their range, due to drainage of wetlands, agricultural expansion, and human development, which degrades their habitat. The use of pesticides, as well as collisions with wires, are important threats. These cranes are also commonly targeted by humans hunting and egg collecting. Sometimes eggs are stolen, and the chicks are raised for food.
According to the IUCN Red List, the total population size of the Sarus crane is 19,000-21,800 individuals, including 13,000-15,000 mature individuals. There are also specific estimates of this species in these regions: India, Nepal, and Pakistan - 8,000-10,000 cranes; Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam - 800-1,000 cranes, Myanmar – 500-800 cranes and 10,000 breeding adults in Australia. Currently, this species is classified as Vulnerable (VU) on the IUCN Red List, and its numbers are decreasing today.
As a predator of small invertebrates and vertebrates, Sarus cranes have an important role in controlling these populations. The abundance of their eggs also influences food sources for their natural predators. They also help control vegetation.
Social animals are those animals that interact highly with other animals, usually of their own species (conspecifics), to the point of having a rec...