Wattled Crane

Bugeranus carunculatus

The Wattled Crane is a tall, elegant bird with long legs and a unique wattle on its face. It loves to live in wetlands and is known for its beautiful dance during courtship.

Habitat: Wetlands

Appearance

The Wattled Crane is a tall, elegant bird with a mainly grey body, a white neck and crown, and a distinctive black face. Its most notable features are the two pendulous, fleshy wattles, bright red in colour, that hang below its chin, covered in small white feathers.

KingdomAnimaliaPhylumChordataClassAvesOrderGruiformesFamilyGruidaeGenusBugeranus

Wattled Crane

Interesting facts

A Wattled Crane chick sometimes gets special help from both parents!

Their loud, rattling calls can be heard echoing across vast distances!

They use their long bills to dig up tasty tubers hidden underground!

Wattled Cranes are the largest crane species found on the African continent!

Special abilities

Wattled Cranes have prominent, fleshy wattles that help them communicate mood and health, especially during important courtship rituals.

Wattled Cranes can navigate deep, flooded wetlands because of their exceptionally long legs, which helps them forage for food safely.

Wattled Cranes have broad, powerful wings that help them soar high in the sky, allowing them to spot distant threats or food sources.

Wattled Cranes can construct large nests on floating vegetation because it provides a safe, elevated platform away from land predators.

Measurements & details

Length: 100-120 cm
Wingspan: 180-230 cm
Weight: 6.4-7.9 kg
Lifespan: 20-30 years
Top Speed: 65 km/h
Clutch Size: 1-2
Incubation: 33-36 days
Migration Distance: 1000 km

Diet & Feeding

These large birds are omnivores, eating wetland plants, seeds, insects, and small aquatic animals.

Primary Foods

tubers
rhizomes
grass seeds
aquatic insects
snails
frogs

Foraging Method

Foraging

Ecological connections

eaten by

Martial Eagle

Polemaetus bellicosus

Martial Eagles sometimes prey on their eggs and young chicks.

eaten by

African Wild Dog

Lycaon pictus

African Wild Dogs can sometimes eat eggs or unattended chicks.

eats

African Water Lily

Nymphaea nouchali

They eat rhizomes and tubers from wetland plants like this.

depends on

Papyrus

Cyperus papyrus

They rely on papyrus swamps for nesting and foraging grounds.

Traits

Feathered

Feathered describes animals, primarily birds, possessing a covering of feathers.

Social

Social animals live in organized groups, cooperating for survival benefits such as foraging, defense, and raising offspring.

Herbivorous

This trait characterizes organisms whose diet consists entirely or primarily of plant material.

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.