Wattled Crane vs Demoiselle Crane
Bugeranus carunculatus compared with Anthropoides virgo
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Wattled Crane | Demoiselle Crane |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Bugeranus carunculatus | Anthropoides virgo |
| Order | Gruiformes | Gruiformes |
| Family | Gruidae | Gruidae |
| Conservation Status | Vulnerable | Least Concern |
| Length | — | 90.0 cm (35.4 in) |
| Wingspan | 124.8 cm (49.1 in) | 175.0 cm (68.9 in) |
| Weight | 7998.5 g (282.14 oz) | 2500.0 g (88.18 oz) |
| Diet | -- | Seeds, grasses, insects, snails, worms, and small vertebrates. Forages in grasslands and agricultural fields. |
| Clutch Size | 1-2 | 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
Wattled 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
Wattled Crane
Demoiselle Crane
Central Eurasia from the Black Sea to Mongolia and northeastern China. Winters in India and sub-Saharan Africa.
Conservation Status
Wattled Crane
Demoiselle Crane
How to Tell Them Apart
Wattled 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
Wattled Crane
Wattled Crane (Bugeranus carunculatus) is Africa's largest crane at 120–175 cm. Grey above, white neck; distinctive long feathered white wattles below the chin. Inhabits large shallow Afrotropical wetlands, flooded grasslands, and Okavango-type systems. Vulnerable; fewer than 8,000 birds survive.
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.