Demoiselle Crane vs Hawfinch
Anthropoides virgo compared with Coccothraustes coccothraustes
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Demoiselle Crane | Hawfinch |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Anthropoides virgo | Coccothraustes coccothraustes |
| Order | Gruiformes | Passeriformes |
| Family | Gruidae | Fringillidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | 90.0 cm (35.4 in) | 18.0 cm (7.1 in) |
| Wingspan | 175.0 cm (68.9 in) | 32.0 cm (12.6 in) |
| Weight | 2500.0 g (88.18 oz) | 55.0 g (1.94 oz) |
| Diet | Seeds, grasses, insects, snails, worms, and small vertebrates. Forages in grasslands and agricultural fields. | Seeds and kernels, especially from cherries, olives, elms, and hornbeams. The bill exerts a force … |
| Clutch Size | 2 | 3-5 |
| 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.
Hawfinch
Deciduous and mixed woodland, orchards, parks, and large gardens with mature fruiting trees.
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.
Hawfinch
A sharp, metallic 'tsick' call — the primary vocalization and often all that's heard. Song is a thin, reedy warble. Generally inconspicuous vocally despite its striking appearance.
Geographic Range & Migration
Demoiselle Crane
Central Eurasia from the Black Sea to Mongolia and northeastern China. Winters in India and sub-Saharan Africa.
Hawfinch
Europe, North Africa, and western and central Asia. Partially migratory, with northern populations moving south in winter.
Conservation Status
Demoiselle Crane
Hawfinch
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
Hawfinch
Orange-brown head with a black bib and eye stripe. Warm brown back, grey nape, and broad white wing bar. Massive head and bill give a top-heavy appearance.
Enormously powerful, conical, pale bill capable of cracking cherry and olive stones
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.
Hawfinch
The hawfinch possesses the most powerful bill relative to body size of any European bird, capable of cracking cherry stones that require a force of 27-43 kg. Despite its distinctive appearance, it is famously shy and difficult to observe. The skull contains special adaptations to absorb the enormous forces generated during seed-cracking.