Red-crowned Crane vs Wilson's Bird-of-paradise
Grus japonensis compared with Cicinnurus respublica
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Red-crowned Crane | Wilson's Bird-of-paradise |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Grus japonensis | Cicinnurus respublica |
| Order | Gruiformes | Passeriformes |
| Family | Gruidae | Paradisaeidae |
| Conservation Status | Endangered | Near Threatened |
| Length | 150.0 cm (59.1 in) | 16.0 cm (6.3 in) |
| Wingspan | 250.0 cm (98.4 in) | 19.0 cm (7.5 in) |
| Weight | 8900.0 g (313.94 oz) | 55.0 g (1.94 oz) |
| Diet | Omnivorous — fish, amphibians, insects, grasses, and waste grain. Forages in wetlands and agricultural fields. | Fruit and insects gleaned from the forest canopy and subcanopy. Particularly favors figs. |
| Clutch Size | 2 | -- |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Size Comparison
Habitat Comparison
Red-crowned Crane
Freshwater marshes, bogs, and wet grasslands for breeding. Winters in coastal mudflats, estuaries, and rice paddies.
Wilson's Bird-of-paradise
Lowland and hill forests on the small islands of Waigeo and Batanta in the Raja Ampat archipelago, Indonesia.
Song & Call Comparison
Red-crowned Crane
Spectacular unison 'bugling' call: a clear, resonant, far-carrying trumpet 'kru-ru-ru' given by paired birds simultaneously. Among the most majestic bird calls in Asia.
Wilson's Bird-of-paradise
Male gives a harsh, nasal 'waah' or 'eeah' from display perch. Song is poorly documented in wild. Also produces mechanical rattling wing sounds during display flights.
Geographic Range & Migration
Red-crowned Crane
Eastern Asia — breeds in northeastern China, southeastern Russia, and Hokkaido, Japan. Winters in Korea and eastern China.
Wilson's Bird-of-paradise
Endemic to the islands of Waigeo and Batanta off the northwestern tip of New Guinea, Indonesia.
Conservation Status
Red-crowned Crane
Wilson's Bird-of-paradise
How to Tell Them Apart
Red-crowned Crane
White body plumage with black secondary flight feathers and throat. Bare red crown patch. Black face and neck. One of the most elegant crane species.
Long, straight, olive-green bill
Wilson's Bird-of-paradise
Males have a brilliant red back, yellow nape, turquoise blue bare crown, and green breast shield. Violet-blue curled tail wires. Females are brownish with bare blue crown.
Short, slightly curved greyish bill
About These Birds
Red-crowned Crane
The red-crowned crane is one of the rarest crane species and a potent symbol of longevity and fidelity in East Asian culture. Their elaborate unison call and dancing displays have inspired art and folklore for millennia. The resident population on Hokkaido, Japan, recovered from about 33 birds in 1952 to over 1,800 today.
Wilson's Bird-of-paradise
Wilson's bird-of-paradise is one of the most extraordinarily colored birds on Earth. Males meticulously clear a patch of forest floor as a display court, removing every leaf and twig. The species was virtually unknown to science until the late 20th century due to its restricted island range.