Black Crowned Crane vs Demoiselle Crane
Balearica pavonina compared with Anthropoides virgo
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Black Crowned Crane | Demoiselle Crane |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Balearica pavonina | Anthropoides virgo |
| Order | Gruiformes | Gruiformes |
| Family | Gruidae | Gruidae |
| Conservation Status | Vulnerable | Least Concern |
| Length | — | 90.0 cm (35.4 in) |
| Wingspan | 108.7 cm (42.8 in) | 175.0 cm (68.9 in) |
| Weight | 3412.5 g (120.37 oz) | 2500.0 g (88.18 oz) |
| Diet | -- | Seeds, grasses, insects, snails, worms, and small vertebrates. Forages in grasslands and agricultural fields. |
| Clutch Size | 2-3 | 2 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Size Comparison
Habitat Comparison
Demoiselle Crane
Dry grasslands, savannas, and semi-desert. Nests on the ground in open country, often near water. Winters in agricultural fields.
Song & Call Comparison
Black Crowned Crane
Demoiselle Crane
A high-pitched, bugling 'karr-r-r' in flight. Also gives softer clucking and purring contact calls. Migrating flocks produce a continuous musical babbling audible from great distance.
Geographic Range & Migration
Black Crowned Crane
Demoiselle Crane
Central Eurasia from the Black Sea to Mongolia and northeastern China. Winters in India and sub-Saharan Africa.
Conservation Status
Black Crowned Crane
Demoiselle Crane
How to Tell Them Apart
Black Crowned Crane
Demoiselle Crane
Pale blue-grey body with a black head, neck, and breast plumes. White ear tufts extend behind the red eyes. Long black tertials drape over the tail.
Short, yellowish-olive bill, shorter than other cranes
About These Birds
Black Crowned Crane
Black Crowned Crane (Balearica pavonina) is a tall 100–105 cm crane of the Sahel and West Africa. Grey body with black neck and head, red and white facial wattles, and golden crown. Inhabits wet grasslands, flooded savannas, and lake margins from Senegal east to Ethiopia and Sudan.
Demoiselle Crane
The demoiselle crane is the smallest crane species but undertakes one of the most grueling migrations, crossing the Himalayas at altitudes over 8,000 meters to reach wintering grounds in India. Named for its elegant appearance by Marie Antoinette, it is the second most abundant crane species in the world.