# Anthropoides virgo The Brolga is a tall, graceful bird known for its beautiful dances. With long legs and a striking red crown, these birds are often seen in wetlands and grasslands, making them a lovely sight to see! - **Category:** [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/bird) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Habitat:** Wetlands - **Also known as:** Australian Crane ![Anthropoides virgo](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Demoiselle_Cranes_at_Tal_Chappar.jpg&width=800) Photo: Sumeet Moghe, CC BY-SA 3.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Demoiselle_Cranes_at_Tal_Chappar.jpg) ## Appearance The Anthropoides virgo is a medium-sized crane with a slate-grey body and a distinct white plume flowing from behind its eyes. It has a black neck and face, contrasting with a patch of grey on its crown. Its long, slender legs and small red eyes complete its elegant appearance. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Chordata - **Class:** Aves - **Order:** Gruiformes - **Family:** Gruidae - **Genus:** Anthropoides ## Interesting facts - Demoiselle Cranes are named for their graceful, 'maiden-like' appearance. - These cranes fly over the world's highest mountains, the Himalayas! - They gather in massive flocks, sometimes thousands strong, for migration. - They often use pebbles to build their nests, sometimes on bare ground. ## Special abilities - **High-Altitude Flyer:** Anthropoides virgo can fly over incredibly high mountain ranges because of its strong wings and ability to adapt to thin air. - **Graceful Dancer:** Anthropoides virgo performs complex 'dancing' rituals that help them find a mate and strengthen social bonds. - **Loud Communicator:** Anthropoides virgo has a long windpipe that allows them to make loud, trumpeting calls that carry far across open landscapes. ## Measurements & details - **Length:** 90-100 cm - **Wingspan:** 165-185 cm - **Weight:** 2-3 kg - **Lifespan:** 15-20 years - **Speed:** 60 km/h - **Clutch Size:** 1-3 - **Incubation:** 27-31 days - **Migration Distance:** 7000 km ## Diet & Feeding These omnivores eat grains, seeds, insects, and small creatures found in open lands. - **Primary Foods:** Grains, Seeds, Grasses, Insects, Worms, Small reptiles - **Foraging Method:** Foraging ## Ecological connections - **Eaten by:** [Red Fox](https://www.snappit.app/explore/red-fox) (*Vulpes vulpes*) — Preys on eggs and chicks - **Eaten by:** [Golden Eagle](https://www.snappit.app/explore/golden-eagle) (*Aquila chrysaetos*) — Hunts young or weak cranes - **Eats:** [Wheat](https://www.snappit.app/explore/wheat) (*Triticum aestivum*) — Feeds on grains from fields - **Eats:** [Desert Locust](https://www.snappit.app/explore/desert-locust) (*Schistocerca gregaria*) — Consumes these insect pests ## Traits - [Feathered](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/feathered): Feathered describes animals, primarily birds, possessing a covering of feathers. - [Social](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/social): Social animals live in organized groups, cooperating for survival benefits such as foraging, defense, and raising offspring. - [Colorful](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/colorful): Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors. - [Grassland](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/grassland): Grassland habitats are terrestrial biomes dominated by grasses and herbaceous plants, supporting a variety of grazing animals. - [Herbivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/herbivorous): This trait characterizes organisms whose diet consists entirely or primarily of plant material. - [Wetland](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/wetland): This habitat trait identifies species found in wetlands, which are areas of land saturated with water, either permanently or seasonally, including marshes, swamps, and bogs. - [Diurnal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/diurnal): Diurnal animals are primarily active during daylight hours, typically resting or sleeping at night. - [Migratory](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/migratory): Migratory animals undertake seasonal movements from one region to another, typically in response to changes in climate or food availability. - [Endangered](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/endangered): Endangered status indicates a species is at a very high risk of extinction in the wild in the near future. ## Collections - [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/birds) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Always watch birds from a distance and do not try to touch them. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Anthropoides virgo? Compare the silhouette, bill shape, tail length, wing bars and markings around the eyes. The same small brown bird at your feeder can look quite different in breeding plumage, winter plumage or its first year. Bird Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How long is Anthropoides virgo? 90-100 cm ### What is Anthropoides virgo's wingspan? 165-185 cm ### How much does Anthropoides virgo weigh? 2-3 kg ### How long does Anthropoides virgo live? 15-20 years ### How fast can Anthropoides virgo move? 60 km/h ### What does Anthropoides virgo eat? These omnivores eat grains, seeds, insects, and small creatures found in open lands. ### Where is Anthropoides virgo usually found? Wetlands ## More Birds - [Black-crowned Night Heron](https://www.snappit.app/explore/black-crowned-night-heron) (*Nycticorax nycticorax*) - [Anna's Hummingbird](https://www.snappit.app/explore/annas-hummingbird) (*Calypte anna*) - [Great Egret](https://www.snappit.app/explore/great-egret) (*Ardea alba*) - [Blue Jay](https://www.snappit.app/explore/blue-jay) (*Cyanocitta cristata*) --- Source: [Anthropoides virgo: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/anthropoides-virgo)