Demoiselle Crane vs Black-necked Crane
Anthropoides virgo compared with Grus nigricollis
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Demoiselle Crane | Black-necked Crane |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Anthropoides virgo | Grus nigricollis |
| Order | Gruiformes | Gruiformes |
| Family | Gruidae | Gruidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Near Threatened |
| Length | 90.0 cm (35.4 in) | — |
| Wingspan | 175.0 cm (68.9 in) | 115.8 cm (45.6 in) |
| Weight | 2500.0 g (88.18 oz) | 6000.0 g (211.64 oz) |
| Diet | Seeds, grasses, insects, snails, worms, and small vertebrates. Forages in grasslands and agricultural fields. | -- |
| Clutch Size | 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
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.
Black-necked Crane
Geographic Range & Migration
Demoiselle Crane
Central Eurasia from the Black Sea to Mongolia and northeastern China. Winters in India and sub-Saharan Africa.
Black-necked Crane
Conservation Status
Demoiselle Crane
Black-necked Crane
How to Tell Them Apart
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
Black-necked Crane
About These Birds
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.
Black-necked Crane
Black-necked Crane (Grus nigricollis) is a large 115–120 cm crane endemic to the Tibetan Plateau. White body with black neck, head, and wing tips; bare red crown. The only crane breeding on a plateau; nests above 4,000 m. Winters at lower elevations in Bhutan, India, and Yunnan. Vulnerable; population ~10,000 birds.