- Grus nigricollis
Identification
115cm
- Bare red crown and lores scantly covered by black hairlike feathers
- Black head and upper part of the neck
- Small white or light grey spot near each eye
- Ashy grey body
- Whitish underparts
- Black tail
- Greyish upper tail coverts
- Black primaries and secondaries
- Yellow eyes
- Black legs and toes
Sexes similar although males slightly larger.
Juveniles - yellow brown crown, grey abdomen, black primaries and secondaries, greyish yellow back, black and white barring on neck. By one year of age the bird resembles the adult.
Distribution
Breeds Tibetan plateau; winters to north-eastern India and southern China.
Taxonomy
This is a monotypic species[1].
Habitat
They breed in high altitude wetlands, shallow marshes, streams, and pastures. They winter in lower elevation agricultural valleys.
Behaviour
Diet
The diet incudes plant roots and tubers, insects, snails, shrimp, fish, frogs, lizards, voles, and waste grains.
Breeding
Nests are built from mud, grass, sedges, and other aquatic plants, and are placed on small grassy islands or in the water. Two eggs are laid and are incubated by both parents for 30-33 days. The young fledge at approximately 90 days.
References
- Clements, J. F., T. S. Schulenberg, M. J. Iliff, D. Roberson, T. A. Fredericks, B. L. Sullivan, and C. L. Wood. 2014. The eBird/Clements checklist of birds of the world: Version 6.9., with updates to August 2014. Downloaded from http://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/download/
- Saving Cranes.org
Recommended Citation
- BirdForum Opus contributors. (2025) Black-necked Crane. In: BirdForum, the forum for wild birds and birding. Retrieved 13 May 2025 from https://www.birdforum.net/opus/Black-necked_Crane
External Links
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