crane | bird | Britannica.com Crane sandhill crane Crane, any of 15 species of tall wading birds of the family Gruidae (order Gruiformes). Superficially, cranes resemble herons but usually are larger and have a partly naked head, a heavier bill, more compact plumage , and an elevated hind toe. In flight the long neck is stretched out in front, the stiltlike legs trailing out behind. Crowned crane (Balearica pavonina [regulorum]). K.B. Newman—NHPA/EB Inc. Learn about the red-crowned cranes in Kushiro Shitsugen National Park, eastern Hokkaido, Japan. Contunico © ZDF Enterprises GmbH, Mainz Learn about the red-crowned crane, including its courtship dance. Contunico © ZDF Enterprises GmbH, Mainz Steller’s sea eagles battling red-crowned cranes for food on Hokkaido island, Japan. Contunico © ZDF Enterprises GmbH, Mainz Cranes form an ancient group, the earliest fossils having been recovered from Eocene deposits in North America .

Living forms are found worldwide except in South America , but populations of many are endangered by hunting and habitat destruction. These graceful terrestrial birds stalk about in marshes and on plains, eating small animals of all sorts as well as grain and grass shoots. Two olive-gray eggs spotted with brown are laid in a nest of grasses and weed stalks on drier ground in marsh or field. The same nest may be used year after year. The brownish, downy young can run about shortly after hatching. The trachea (windpipe) is simple in the chick but lengthens with age, coiling upon itself like a French horn. It lies buried in the hollow keel of the breastbone and reaches a length of 1.5 metres (5 feet) in the adult whooping crane (Grus americana). Whooping crane (Grus americana). International Crane Foundation, Baraboo, WI. The sandhill crane (G. canadensis) breeds from Alaska to Hudson Bay; it formerly bred in south-central Canada and the Great Lakes region of the United States but is now rare in these regions. This brownish-gray crane is about 90 to 110 cm (35 to 43 inches) long.

Its call is long, harsh, and penetrating. The Florida sandhill crane (G. c. pratensis), a smaller race, breeds in Florida and southern Georgia and is nonmigratory. Other subspecies of sandhills are classified as rare or endangered. The common crane (G. grus) breeds in Europe and northern Asia, wintering in large flocks in northern Africa, India, and China . The Australian crane, native companion, or brolga (G. rubicunda), lives in Australia and southern New Guinea . The demoiselle crane (Anthropoides virgo) breeds in Algeria, southeastern Europe, and Central Asia; the crowned crane (Balearica pavonina [regulorum]), over nearly all of Africa; and the wattled crane (Bugeranus carunculatus), in eastern and southern Africa. Sandhill cranes (Grus canadensis). Learn about Cranes - Environmental Education for Kids - Children of the Earth United The Black Crowned Crane Individual and Social Behavior Cranes pursue small prey, and sometimes each other, by running. A running crane takes one to three steps per second and may use its wings for balance and to gain speed.

While a running crane looks awkward, they can easily outrun humans. Cranes do not have webbed feet, but they can swim, although adult birds usually avoid deeper water unless necessary. Chicks are good swimmers and may leave the nest to follow the parents through the wetlands, sometimes within a few hours of hatching. Sarus Cranes Feathers give cranes both the ability to fly and to regulate their temperature. Made of the same material as human fingernails, feathers require constant attention. A crane preens by nibbling the base of a feather and then drawing it through the bill. Preening straightens and closes repairable gaps in the feather. When preening, cranes may apply oil to the feathers obtained from a special gland located on top of the tail. Contrary to previous belief, the oil does not serve as waterproofing, but helps condition the feathers and may also have fungicidal and antibacterial properties. Prolonged preening sessions follow water or dust bathing. While cranes spend a great deal of time caring for their feathers, the feathers still wear out and are replaced during a seasonal molt.

Many crane species are flightless during the molt, which usually occurs during late spring when the adults are raising their chicks. It is not unusual for flightless cranes to stay near heavier cover until they and their young can fly. Cranes, such as the crowned cranes, living in predator-dense areas lose their feathers over a longer period of time and never become flightless. Sandhill Cranes and Eurasian Cranes "paint" themselves by preening mud into their feathers prior to the breeding season. Painting acts as camouflage, helping the cranes hide amid the brown vegetation of an early spring marsh. Siberian Cranes also paint themselves, but only at the base of the neck. This "makeup" indicates that the birds are in their prime and ready to breed. The Grey Crowned Crane Cranes are aggressive birds. When fighting, they leap into the air to rake opponents with their sharp claws or stab at an opponent with their bill. This continues until one bird runs or flies away, sometimes closely pursued by the victorious bird. Fighting is dangerous to both participants, however, so cranes use a complex system of threat behaviors allowing rivals to avoid fighting. Communication includes both physical postures and vocalizations.

Ruffle, drop-wing, and crouch threats indicate low-, mid-, and high-intensity aggression levels respectively, so many aggressive encounters are resolved before fighting becomes necessary. (The animated picture on the top shows a crane performing a ruffle threat; the picture on the bottom show a crane performing a crouch threat.) Most crane species also will flash the bright red patch on top of their heads to an opponent or predator to indicate growing excitement. Vocalizations The contact call is made by both chicks and adults. Adult contact calls consist of a soft, purring call while a chick's contact call is high-pitched. This call alerts nearby cranes to the caller's whereabouts. The chick distress calls sound similar to their contact calls, but are louder and more strident--parents react quickly to them. At about three months of age, chicks are able to perform the guard call, a single loud call that warns other cranes of danger. The most significant vocalization is the "unison call." The unison call consists of a complex, but carefully orchestrated duet performed by a mated pair of cranes. The call helps to form or reinforce pair bonds and also acts as a territorial warning to other nearby cranes.

In many species, the female has a two-note call while the male has a single-note call. Males of some species, such as the White-naped, Siberian, and Brolga, may flex their wings while unison calling. Members of a pair usually stand within a few feet of each other while unison calling. A unique call made by the Grey Crowned Cranes is "booming." Small "gular sacs," which hang below the chin of the birds, inflate increasing call resonance. Crowned cranes also use a "quack" call to locate their mates. (If a menu pops up on downloading ~ download to CURRENT LOCATION.) Flight and Migration Cranes typically run into the wind to achieve the lift necessary for flight, but if alarmed a crane can spring directly into flight. Cranes may fly as fast as 52 m.p.h. during level, flapping flight, but prefer to soar, especially during migration. When soaring in thermals (updrafts of warm air), cranes will circle until they reach a desired altitude, usually between 3,000 and 5,000 feet.

Once the appropriate altitude is reached, the cranes leave the thermal and glide forward, slowly losing altitude. They then find another thermal and repeat the procedure. While slower than level flapping flight, soaring conserves energy. Cranes prefer to migrate at altitudes of less than 5,000 feet, but some species are forced to fly much higher. In North America, mountain ranges run north and south and birds migrate parallel to them. In Asia and Europe, however, mountain ranges, such as the Himalayas and Pyrenees, generally run east and west forcing cranes and other birds to negotiate mountain passes as high as 20,000 feet. Daily flights may range from a few miles in bad weather to several hundred miles if suitable stopover points are unavailable. Cranes often migrate in large flocks when conditions are favorable. At night, migrating cranes often roost at "staging areas" in water that is 4-8" deep. Staging areas usually consist of safe roosting sites in shallow marshes or on submerged river sandbars.

There are usually good foraging areas within a short flight of the roosting sites and cranes may remain at staging areas for several weeks as they regain energy and rest. Staging areas of some species are traditional resting spots that have been used for hundreds and possibly thousands of years. Examples of staging areas used by Sandhills include the Platte River (Nebraska), Jasper-Pulaski State Wildlife Area (Indiana), and the Sandhill Wildlife Demonstration Area (Wisconsin). The Eurasian Crane Feeding Feeding is one of a cranes' most time-consuming activities. Cranes spend most of the daylight hours in areas where food is most abundant. Cranes forage for roots and the starchy swellings found on the roots of certain plants called tubers. They also eat seeds, small mammals and reptiles, eggs of other birds, and invertebrates, such as worms, clams, insects, and crayfish. The Whooping Crane Nesting and Reproduction Cranes are territorial during the breeding season, with each pair defending an area in which it will attempt to raise young. Sandhills may nest in areas of less than three acres, but the average territory size is larger than 50 acres.

Larger crane species typically have larger territories. Territories will tend to be smaller in areas where there is abundant food, good nesting sites, and high crane population densities. Most crane species nest in shallow marshes, but Demoiselle and Blue Cranes build scant nests in dry prairie or savanna, although usually within a few hundred yards of a water source. In deeper marshes, cranes build massive nests from nearby wetland plants. Often a "moat" forms around the nest because the cranes use so many of the nearby plants for constructing the nest. Nests may be five to six feet across and tall enough that the water does not reach the eggs. Nest construction takes from one to seven days. Once the female lays the eggs, the pair shares incubation duties "exchanging" the incubating responsibilities about every two hours during the day, although towards the end of the incubation the nest is exchanged more often. This gives both birds a chance to feed and exercise. At night, it is thought the female does the bulk of the incubation, while the male stands guard nearby. The Sandhill Crane The time of hatching coincides with the emergence of insects on which the young will feed.

Timing of the hatch is particularly important for migratory cranes so the young can grow and gain the size and strength necessary to migrate before winter sets in. Timing is less important with non-migratory cranes which live closer to the tropics. Both parents feed the chicks, but the male usually feeds the chicks first. The newly-hatched chick may be offered small pieces of the egg shell or the female may consume the shell, perhaps to replenish the calcium used from her body to coat the eggs. Often the shell is simply carried away from the nest and discarded as not to attract predators. Both parents brood the young birds to protect them from both cold and precipitation. Brooding also helps warm the chick during the first few days after hatching when it cannot control its own body temperature. The family leaves the nest after the second chick hatches, but may return to the nest for several evenings to brood the chicks during the cool of the night. A Brolga Crane and Chicks Population Dynamics Cranes have low reproductive capabilities making it difficult for them to replace losses due to hunting, natural and human-caused disasters, predation, accidents, and disease.

Cranes do not begin nesting until they are 3-7 years old and then they generally lay just two eggs each year. Of the two eggs, usually only one chick will survive. Cranes, however, may live for 25-30 years in the wild and the one chick they raise each year will likely fledge and join the migratory flock. The survival strategy of cranes, therefore, is the opposite of animals like rabbits or mice, which have short lives and high reproductive rates. Recruitment rates (the number of young in the flock each fall) varies from species to species, but ranges from about 10-14% for Sandhill Cranes. Common Crane - Whatbird.com Common Crane Copyright © 2004 - 2017 Mitch Waite Group PHOTOS Photos we are missing. CONSERVATION STATUS The Common Crane is a medium-sized bird that has also been called the Eurasian Crane. Breeding grounds for the species are found in the wetlands of northern Europe and Asia, and they mostly nest in Russia and Scandinavia. In the 17th century, the Common Crane became extinct in Great Britain, but a small population is now increasing in the Norfolk Broads.

They are long-distance migrants, traveling to Africa, southern Europe and southern Asia in winter months. This species commonly eats leaves, roots, berries, insects, and small birds and mammals. The conservation rating of the Common Crane is currently Least Concern. IBIRD EXPLORER GENERAL posted on May 13, 2013 07:47 AM PHOTO SHARING AND DISCUSSION posted on May 28, 2010 05:00 AM BIRD PHOTOGRAPHY posted on June 12, 2016 09:03 PM SUMMARY Overview Common Crane: Large wading bird, gray overall with a black face, chin, throat and neck; shows a patch of bare red skin on crown. Broad white stripe extends from behind eye down back of neck. Black flight feathers and short tail are visible in flight. Bill is dull yellow and legs and feet are black. Range and Habitat Common Crane: This species breeds in northern parts of Europe and western Asia. It is a long distance migrant wintering in Africa and southern Europe. In North America it appears as an accidental vagrant to central Alaska, western Canada, the Great Plains, and the Midwest.

It prefers forest clearings, bogs, wetlands, fields and meadows with ponds. In migration stays on open arable land. SONGS AND CALLS No data available. INTERESTING FACTS In Great Britain it became extinct in the 17th century, but a tiny population now breeds again in the Norfolk Broads and is slowly increasing. It has a dancing display, leaping with wings uplifted. The Common Crane is also known as the Eurasian Crane, A group of cranes has many collective nouns, including a "construction", "dance", "sedge", "siege", and "swoop" of cranes. SIMILAR BIRDS About this North America Map This map shows how this species is distributed across North America. FAMILY DESCRIPTION Cranes (Gruidae) ORDER The taxonomic order GRUIFORMES (pronounced groo-ih-FOR-meez) is composed of six bird families including the trumpeters of South America, the Limpkin, and the cranes. FAMILY TAXONOMY There are fifteen species of cranes in four genera in the Gruidae (pronounced GROO-uh-dee) family.

They occur on all continents except Antarctica and South America. NORTH AMERICA In North America, there are three species of cranes in one genus that have occurred. These include the numerous Sandhill Crane, the endangered Whooping Crane, and a vagrant from Eurasia, the Common Crane. KNOWN FOR Sandhill Cranes (and other crane species) are known for their courtship displays and pair bonding rituals that resemble dancing. Some displays are carried out during the breeding season while pair-bond displays may be done at any time. PHYSICAL Tall, stately birds, cranes are large with long legs and a long neck. They have short tails, medium-length bills, and long, broad wings. COLORATION Adult North American cranes have mostly white plumage (the Whooping Crane), slate-gray plumage (the Sandhill Crane), or gray and black plumage (the Common Crane). All species have red markings on the head and yellowish bills. Juvenile cranes lack the red markings and have brownish plumage. GEOGRAPHIC HABITAT In North America, cranes occupy freshwater marshes and other open wetland habitats, with most populations breeding in Canada and wintering in the southwestern United States.

Except for populations of Sandhill Cranes in Florida, they are mostly seen in the midwestern and western regions. The Whooping Crane has an especially limited range, breeding in the Wood Buffalo National Park in Canada, and wintering in the Aransas National Wildlife Refuge in Texas. MIGRATION Cranes are long distance migrants; populations of Sandhill Cranes that breed in Siberia migrate all the way to North America. HABITS Cranes occur in large flocks during migration and winter together; however they mostly associate as mated pairs. They forage for small creatures such as frogs and crustaceans by walking through open wetlands to snatching prey items with their bills. CONSERVATION While Sandhill Cranes have large, healthy populations, the Whooping Crane is an endangered species. Formerly widespread, this tallest of North American birds was reduced to just sixteen individuals during the nineteen forties by habitat destruction and hunting. This main population has increased to around 200 birds since then as a result of strict protection. Recovery programs for this species have attempted to establish other flocks in Idaho, Wisconsin, and Florida with varying degrees of success.

INTERESTING FACTS The population of Whooping Cranes reintroduced in Wisconsin had to be taught to fly to wintering grounds in Florida. This was done by successfully leading the young birds to Florida with an ultralight airplane. TERMINOLOGY CRANE – Encyclopaedia Iranica Tags CRANE (kolang), any of the large migratory wading birds of the family Gruidae. The kolang is mentioned in the Bundahišn as one of 110 species of birds. In classi­cal Persian poetry the crane’s ability to fly high and far; its order, discipline, and characteristic whooping sounds in flight are mentioned. CRANE (kolang < Mid. Pers. kulang; Orm. and Par. kolang; Morgenstierne, pp. 266, 398; cf. Kurmanji Kurdish [ḡāz] qoleng, qoreng, etc.; Mokrī, pp. 102-03; Šīrāzī ḡāz qolang; dornā < Turk. turna; Doerfer, Elemente III, pp.

199-200; Figure 1 ), any of the large migratory wading birds of the family Gruidae. Three species of cranes migrate to Persia for the winter (Hüe and Étchécopar, pp. 233-37; Scott et al., pp. 116-17). First are two subspecies of Grus grus L., the common crane (dornā; Figure 1), which averages 112 cm from beak to tail: G. g. grus (L.), which winters in southwestern Persia, and the second, G. g. lilfordi Sharpe, which winters mainly near the Caspian, in southern Persia, in southeastern Afghanistan, and in isolated colonies in Transcaucasia. The second species, Anthropoides virgo L. (the demoiselle crane, dornā-ye kūčak “small crane”), 95 cm long, is not very common in Persia and in recent years has been seen only in the Caspian region, Azerbaijan, and central Fārs (Scott et al., p. 117).

Finally, Grus leucogeranus Pallas, the Siberian white crane (dornā-ye safīd “white crane”), winters from the Caspian area down to Sīstān (but cf. Scott et al., p. 111, where this species is considered “accidental” in Persia). Judging from at least one 19th-century report, cranes were probably more abundant in Persia in the past (Ẓell-al-Solṭān, pp. 347-48) than they are today. Since the 1970s they have been protected by Sāzmān-e ḥefāẓāt-e moḥīt-e zīst (Department of the environment), and hunting them (p. 6: qaṭār-kolang [?]) is prohibited. Crane meat is licit (ḥalāl) according to Islamic law (Damīrī, II, s.v. korkī[y], p.

247), and cranes were hunted for both food and sport with specially trained falcons (qūš-e kalān-gīr “big-[game]-catching fal­cons”; see bāz ; bāzdārī ). Tīmūr Mīrzā, a professional falconer of the Qajar period, reported that cranes would often unite to kill the falcon and that, “if a king had five thousand cavalrymen as zealous and bold as cranes, he could conquer the world if he wished so” (pp. 122-23). M. Ṣarrām, a modern hunter, believes that hunting cranes with a shotgun is the most chal­lenging but exhilarating hunt because of the birds’ extreme vigilance. The kolang is mentioned in the Bundahišn as one of 110 species of birds (tr. Anklesaria, 13.22). In classi­cal Persian poetry the crane’s ability to fly high and far; its order, discipline, and characteristic whooping sounds in flight; and its vulnerability to intrepid falcons are mentioned (Dehḵodā, s.vv.

kolang, korkī). The palace built by the tyrant Żaḥḥāk in Babylon was said to have been called Kolang-dīs because it was shaped like a crane (Ḥamza, p. 32; Mojmal, ed. Bahār, p. 41), possibly reflecting an ancient myth about cranes in Persia and Mesopotamia. The learned Šahmardān b. Abi’l-Ḵayr, in his Nozhat-nāma-ye ʿalāʾī (ca. 490-95/1097-1102; p. 136), described the migrating pattern of cranes, which fly in large numbers and in single file. Each flock is led by one bird, which at intervals is outdistanced and replaced by the bird immediately following, so that each bird in the file “might enjoy the honor and prestige of leadership.” When the flocks rest at night, always far from people and such predators as foxes and jackals, the birds take turns keeping watch, and the watching bird stands on one leg in order not to fall asleep.

Šahmardān also mentioned a medicinal use for crane gall (zahra): If inserted into the nostril, it was sup­posed to cure migraine (dard-e šaqīqa) or palsy (laqwa) of the face (for other medicinal uses of the crane, see Šarīf Edrīsī [d. ca. 560/1165] apud Ebn al-Bayṭār, II, pt. 4, p. 66; Zakarīyāʾ Qazvīnī, apud Damīrī, II, p. 284; Ḥamd-Allāh Mostawfī, text, p. 120, tr., pp. 86-87). According to Dāʾūd Anṭākī (d. 1008/1599; I, p. 236), crane meat “is digested slowly and is not nutritious.” Ẓell-al-Solṭān (pp.

347-48) considered crane meat, like that of geese, good only for making halīm, a kind of meat porridge. Wading Bird Pictures - National Geographic Photograph by Lyn Winans, My Shot A successful hunt (This photo and caption were submitted to My Shot .) Snowy Egret and Chicks Photograph by Richard Seeley, My Shot Three snowy egret chicks look to their mom in eager anticipation of her attention and their next meal. (This photo and caption were submitted to My Shot .) Egret Preening Photograph by Tom Arreola, My Shot This photo was taken at my family's condo in Madeira Beach, Florida, on the fishing dock in the Intracoastal Waterway. Each time my girlfriend and I were fishing, different birds would come around hoping to get a free lunch. Unfortunately for us and them, nothing was biting that day. This one stuck around and kept having to preen its feathers because of the strong wind. The wind blew its feathers back to the point that you could see where they attached to its body.

(This photo and caption were submitted to My Shot .) Saddle-Billed Stork Photograph by Mary Robbins, My Shot This fellow was busy fishing and splashing around in the stream. Photo taken in South Africa. (This photo and caption were submitted to My Shot .) Crowned Crane Photograph by Jen Millard, My Shot Crowned crane (This photo and caption were submitted to My Shot .) Sandhill Cranes Photograph by Bruce Becker, My Shot Sandhill cranes flying at sunrise, Camas National Wildlife Refuge (This photo and caption were submitted to My Shot .) Demoiselle Crane Photograph by Ady Smith, My Shot This image was taken on a recent vacation, depicting a demoiselle crane. Their migration has become an annual spectacle in Khichan, India.

(This photo and caption were submitted to My Shot .) Spoonbill Crane Photograph by Alissa Haygood, My Shot Contemplation (This photo and caption were submitted to My Shot .) Ibises Photograph by Matt Boarman, My Shot Ibises exploding from the marsh (This photo and caption were submitted to My Shot .) Flamingos Photograph by Ivan Kuzmin, My Shot Flamingos on the coast of Lake Nakuru, Kenya (This photo and caption were submitted to My Shot .) Flamingo Photograph by Sarah Payman Shaw, My Shot Shot in the Galápagos Islands, a flamingo at a salt lake (This photo and caption were submitted to My Shot .) Flying Flamingo Photograph by Peter Zonzel, My Shot Atacama, Chile Crane | Define Crane at Dictionary.com crane noun 1. any large wading bird of the family Gruidae, characterized by long legs, bill, and neck and an elevated hind toe. 2. (not used scientifically) any of various similar birds of other families, as the great blue heron. 3. Machinery. a device for lifting and moving heavy weights in suspension. 4.

any of various similar devices, as a horizontally swinging arm by a fireplace, used for suspending pots over the fire. 5. Movies, Television. a vehicle having a long boom on which a camera can be mounted for taking shots from high angles. 6. Nautical. any of a number of supports for a boat or spare spar on the deck or at the side of a vessel. 7. (initial capital letter) Astronomy. the constellation Grus. verb (used with object), craned, craning. 8. to hoist, lower, or move by or as by a crane. 9. to stretch (the neck) as a crane does. verb (used without object), craned, craning. 10. to stretch out one's neck, especially to see better. 11. to hesitate at danger, difficulty, etc. Origin of crane before 1000; Middle English; Old English cran; cognate with German Kran, Greek géranos Crane (Harold) Hart, 1899–1932, U.S. poet. 2. Stephen, 1871–1900, U.S. novelist, poet, and short-story writer.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Examples from the Web for crane Expand Contemporary Examples That would leave just a handful of countries, according to crane, including North Korea, Zimbabwe, Syria, and Saudi Arabia. Historical Examples The former is stationed near the engine, the latter on a small platform attached to the crane. The Seventh Regiment George L. Wood These trees were old acquaintances of crane's, having, like him, been transplanted from Milton. British Dictionary definitions for crane Expand noun 1. any large long-necked long-legged wading bird of the family Gruidae, inhabiting marshes and plains in most parts of the world except South America, New Zealand, and Indonesia: order Gruiformes See also demoiselle (sense 1), whooping crane 2. (not in ornithological use) any similar bird, such as a heron 3. a device for lifting and moving heavy objects, typically consisting of a moving boom, beam, or gantry from which lifting gear is suspended See also gantry 4. (films) a large trolley carrying a boom, on the end of which is mounted a camera verb (transitive) to lift or move (an object) by or as if by a crane 6.

to stretch out (esp the neck), as to see over other people's heads 7. (intransitive) (of a horse) to pull up short before a jump Word Origin Old English cran; related to Middle High German krane, Latin grūs, Greek géranos Crane (Harold) Hart. 1899–1932, US poet; author of The Bridge (1930) 2. Stephen. 1871–1900, US novelist and short-story writer, noted particularly for his novel The Red Badge of Courage (1895) 3. Walter. 1845–1915, British painter, illustrator of children's books, and designer of textiles and wallpaper Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012 Word Origin and History for crane Expand n.

Old English cran "large wading bird," common Germanic (cf. Old Saxon krano, Old High German krano, German Kranich, and, with unexplained change of consonant, Old Norse trani), from PIE *gere- (cf. Greek geranos, Latin grus, Welsh garan, Lithuanian garnys "heron, stork"), perhaps echoic of its cry. Metaphoric use for "machine with a long arm" is first attested late 13c. (a sense also in equivalent words in German and Greek). v. "to stretch (the neck)," 1799, from crane (n.). Related: Craned; craning. Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper crane in the Bible Expand (Isa. 38:14; Jer. 8:7). In both of these passages the Authorized Version has reversed the Hebrew order of the words. "Crane or swallow" should be "swallow or crane," as in the Revised Version. The rendering is there correct. The Hebrew for crane is _'agur_, the Grus cincerea, a bird well known in Palestine.

It is migratory, and is distinguished by its loud voice, its cry being hoarse and melancholy. Easton's 1897 Bible Dictionary Crane | San Diego Zoo Animals & Plants San Diego Zoo Animals & Plants Genera: Balearica, Anthropoides, Bugeranus, Grus Species: 15 ABOUT Regal symbols. From their powerful calls to their intricate dances, cranes have enchanted people for centuries. These birds fly through Australian and Native American legends and European folklore, and some species are considered sacred in Asia. Fifteen crane species range across five continents, with migratory species circumnavigating scorching deserts, mountain ranges, and frozen tundra. Because their migration routes defy the borders of nations, cranes are emblematic of peace and unity among diverse peoples. Cranes are large birds with a long neck and legs, a streamlined body, and long, rounded wings. Their size and graceful proportions make them easy to recognize by all. Cranes are some of the tallest birds in the world. In flight, their body forms a straight line from bill to toes, presenting a beautiful, elegant image.

Cranes come with a broad array of adornments from ornamental wattles and crests to dramatic plumage colors. The blue crane even puffs out its feathers like a cobra when excited! On a wing and a prayer. Some crane species are migratory, and some of their migrations are of epic proportions in terms of distance and altitude. Once the average altitude of about 6,500 feet (2,000 meters) is gained, cranes assume a V-formation and glide, calling to each other constantly. Whooping cranes have been known to fly as far as 500 miles (800 kilometers) in a day, although about 186 miles (300 kilometers) is the average. The highest-flying award goes to Eurasian cranes, flying over the Himalayas at altitudes up to 32,800 feet (10,000 meters)—that’s cruising altitude for jetliners! Meanwhile, some of the smaller demoiselle cranes navigate through the passes of the Himalayas in their migration, while others fly across the vast deserts of the Middle East and northern Africa.

The lesser sandhill crane wins the distance award for the longest migration, flying from eastern Siberia across the Bering Sea into North America, sometimes as far south as northern Mexico. Cranes use a slow, downward flap and a rapid upstroke. They fly with their neck outstretched and their feet straight out behind. Young cranes learn the migratory routes from older birds. Language school. These remarkable birds also have a vast vocal communication system. Each species has its own tone and volume, from the soft honks of crowned cranes to the flutelike call of Siberian cranes. Crane chicks start to learn their “language” as soon as they hatch and know at least six calls by the end of their first year. By this time their voice has also deepened, becoming louder and stronger. Cranes have a specialized windpipe—reaching a whopping 5 feet (1.5 meters) in length in the whooping crane—coiled within a hollow sternum to give the calls long-distance capabilities. The call of a whooping crane can often be heard from a mile away. HABITAT AND DIET Crane life.

These birds use wetlands and grasslands in North America, Africa, Europe, Asia, and Australia. Some serious yum. Cranes are omnivores that eat everything from snails to acorns to insects to snakes. They readily change their eating habits to take advantage of whatever is available. Anatomy plays a part in what a crane species prefers to feed on. Cranes with shorter bills, such as black-crowned cranes, eat insects as well as grasses. Those with long bills, such as brolgas or Australian cranes, probe in shallow wetlands for crustaceans and other aquatic life. The bigger crane species have large, powerful bills and dig up roots and tubers out of the muddy wetlands. Cranes at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park are offered a specialized commercial crane feed, greens, and mealworm larvae. FAMILY LIFE Dancing crane. All cranes, young and old alike, participate in elaborate, enthusiastic "dancing," often just for the fun of it! For the young, dancing helps to develop physical and social skills. It serves as a courtship ritual for the single adults and gets established pairs ready to breed, too.

In a flock of cranes, once a dance starts, it can quickly become contagious, with all the cranes joining in. Although dance patterns differ among crane species, all have long, detailed sequences of coordinated bows, leaps, runs, and short flights. During a dance, the cranes pick up sticks, grass, feathers, or whatever small objects are near, tossing them up into the air with their bill. The dance of the demoiselle crane has even been described as an avian ballet. Crane 101. Cranes are highly social birds, usually pairing for life and living in flocks that can be quite large. Of course, living so close together can give rise to disagreements, so cranes need good communication skills. Like flamingos, they deal with their issues using body language common to all crane species. There is recorded evidence of at least 90 different types of these elaborate visual displays. Here's what some of them mean: Aggressive— The crane stands tall with body feathers smooth and head features expanded. Then it walks stiffly, followed by wing flapping, ruffles, bows, false preening, stomps, nasal snorts, and growls.

Submissive— The crane lowers its head and head feathers and walks in a loose and wary way. Crouch Threat— The crane bends its legs, lowers to the ground, folds its wings loosely against its body and the ground, and places its head forward with the red patch prominent. Ruffle Threat— The crane raises the feathers of its neck, wings, and back, partially opens and lowers its wings, ruffles them alternately, then lowers its bill in a preening movement, finishing with a low growl. Charge— The crane points its neck and head straight down and lifts the feathers along its neck and back, holding the stance for several seconds. Egging them on. Adult female cranes can lay up to four eggs in a clutch, but two eggs are more common. Eggs laid in warmer climates are white or light-colored to help the eggs reflect excess heat. Eggs laid in colder regions are darker in color so the eggs can absorb heat. While some species only raise one chick, others raise two. Since one chick will always become dominant, the weaker chick often dies if food is scarce. It was a common belief that cranes keep the same mate their entire life, but recent scientific research indicates that this is not the case.

However, once the nest is built and the eggs are laid, both parents help raise the young. An East African Crowned crane and chick. Social and precocial. Crane chicks are precocial, and parents begin feeding them almost immediately after they hatch. Chicks are mostly a light brown, with a few species being silver gray. These colors provide camouflage against predators. The chicks grow very, very quickly and soon learn to follow their parents to food sources. Sometimes, adults feed chicks until they are several months old. The youngsters develop their flight feathers at two to four months of age, preparing them for long migrations. During their second year, adult feathers gradually replace the juvenile plumage. SaveSave AT THE ZOO You don’t need to “crane” your neck to get a good look at these elegant birds. At the San Diego Zoo Safari Park, one of the first exhibits near the entrance is home to a pair of West African crowned cranes, and other types of cranes—East African crowned, blue, Indian sarus, white-naped, wattled, red-crowned, and demoiselle cranes—are featured in a variety of settings, including Nairobi Village, African Woods, and field exhibits.

Cranes living in the Park's huge field exhibits share their space with large mammals like giraffes, rhinos, and Cape buffalo, but get help from keepers to ensure that any eggs laid remain intact. When the cranes lay their eggs, keepers pull the eggs from the nest and replace them with “dummy eggs” so the parents will continue their natural nesting behaviors. The keepers place the eggs in incubators until just before hatching. The eggs are then placed back with the parents. This minimizes the risk of damage to the precious eggs and still allows the chicks to imprint on and be raised by their parents. Once hatched, the entire family is taken to another location until the chicks are a bit older. Over 120 cranes have hatched since the Safari Park opened in 1972, and 57 of those have been East African crowned cranes. In 2014, we welcomed the hatch of a wattled crane, a first for our organization! Safari Park guests can also see an East African crowned crane named Taji fly overhead during one of the Park's daily Frequent Flyers bird shows. CONSERVATION Cranes in trouble. All crane species are rapidly dwindling.

The Siberian crane Grus leucogeranus is at critical risk, due mainly to hunters shooting them during their 4,000-mile migration between the Russian arctic and India. The red-crowned crane Grus japonensis is endangered mainly due to loss of habitat; cranes need large areas of habitat, which are gradually being turned into farms or housing sites. Even the marshes where cranes nest are being slowly drained for agricultural purposes. The gray-crowned crane Balearic regulorum is endangered due to the illegal trade in the species. Back from the brink. Whooping cranes Grus americana are the tallest birds in North America. They were once numerous in the prairie wetlands of the US and Canada, but settlers drained the wetlands to build farms and cities, and hunted the large birds for their meat. By 1941, only 15 birds were observed at their wintering area on the Gulf Coast of Texas. To help save the birds from extinction, refuges were established, the birds were carefully monitored, and hunters were educated about the harm they could do to the species.

Through intensive efforts, there are now two distinct migratory populations—the only natural, self-sustaining whooping crane flocks left in the world. There are also small, nonmigratory flocks of whooping cranes in Florida and Louisiana. Whooping cranes are still endangered, but there is certainly more hope for the species these days, with their numbers currently at almost 600 birds in managed care and the wild. Helping cranes. In 1973, the International Crane Foundation was founded to be the world center for the study and preservation of cranes. It has become a world leader in crane conservation, including the breeding of endangered species. San Diego Zoo Global works with the Foundation, providing cranes for breeding and helping with wetland conservation work in China. The founder of the International Crane Foundation, George Archibald, Ph.D., is the 2005 San Diego Zoo Global Conservation Medalist. San Diego Zoo Global is dedicated to crane conservation and, in particular, an artificial insemination program involving sarus, red-crowned, demoiselle, and blue cranes. You can help us bring crane species back from the brink by supporting the San Diego Zoo Global Wildlife Conservancy .

Together we can save and protect wildlife around the globe. It is hoped that the haunting calls of wild cranes will continue for many generations to come. LIFE SPAN Crane - A Bird Book For Kids : A Bird Book For Kids Crane Crane Posted at August 30, 2015 by abirdadmin on category Bird Facts , Birds Cranes are tall, elegant birds that live near wetlands, lakes and rivers. Cranes like the sarus crane are the tallest birds that fly. Types of Cranes: There are fifteen types of cranes divided into four groups: Black-crowned and Grey-crowned (called crowned cranes) Common or Eurasian, Sandhill, Whooping, Sarus, Brolga, Siberian, White-naped, Hooded, Black-necked, and Red-crowned or Japanese Demoiselle and Blue Wattled Geographic Range: Cranes can be found in every country except in South America and Antarctica. Length: Adult cranes are from 2.5–6.0 feet (.76–1.8 m) tall. The demoiselle crane is the shortest.

Wings: Cranes have large wings measuring from 5 to 10 feet (1.5 – 3 m) from wingtip to wingtip. Some cranes migrate with the seasons. Weight: Adult cranes can weigh from 4 to 18 lbs ( 2 – 7.8 kg ). Food: Cranes eat a variety of food including plants, fish, eels, crabs, shrimp, small reptiles, and insects. More Great Crane Stuff:

Question: Which wading bird has varieties called ‘whooping’ and ‘demoiselle’?
Answer: Crane