Common Kestrel vs Red-crowned Crane

Falco tinnunculus comparé à Grus japonensis

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Side-by-Side Comparison

Attribut Common Kestrel Red-crowned Crane
Nom scientifique Falco tinnunculus Grus japonensis
Ordre Falconiformes Gruiformes
Famille Falconidae Gruidae
Statut de conservation Least Concern Endangered
Longueur 34,0 cm (13.4 in) 150,0 cm (59.1 in)
Envergure 74,0 cm (29.1 in) 250,0 cm (98.4 in)
Poids 190,0 g (6.70 oz) 8900,0 g (313.94 oz)
Régime alimentaire Primarily voles and mice, also lizards, large insects, and small birds. Hunts by hovering at … Omnivorous — fish, amphibians, insects, grasses, and waste grain. Forages in wetlands and agricultural fields.
Taille de la couvée 1-7 2
Population Trend
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Size Comparison

Body Length
Common Kestrel 34,0 cm
Red-crowned Crane 150,0 cm
Envergure
Common Kestrel 74,0 cm
Red-crowned Crane 250,0 cm
Poids
Common Kestrel 190,0 g
Red-crowned Crane 8900,0 g
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Habitat Comparison

Habitats partagés

Common Kestrel only

Red-crowned Crane only

Aucun(e)

Common Kestrel

Open country including farmland, grasslands, moorland, and urban areas. Common along motorways and in cities across Europe.

Red-crowned Crane

Freshwater marshes, bogs, and wet grasslands for breeding. Winters in coastal mudflats, estuaries, and rice paddies.

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Song & Call Comparison

Common Kestrel

Chant

A shrill, repeated 'kee-kee-kee-kee' or 'kik-ik-ik', especially near nest. Alarm call is a nasal chattering. Generally less vocal than larger falcons. Calls ring clearly in open country.

Red-crowned Crane

Chant

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.

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Geographic Range & Migration

Common Kestrel

Europe, Asia, and Africa. One of the most common and widespread raptors in the Old World.

Red-crowned Crane

Eastern Asia — breeds in northeastern China, southeastern Russia, and Hokkaido, Japan. Winters in Korea and eastern China.

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Statut de conservation

Least Concern

Common Kestrel

Endangered

Red-crowned Crane

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How to Tell Them Apart

Common Kestrel

Plumage

Males have a blue-grey head and tail with a rufous back spotted with black. Females are rufous-brown with heavy barring. Both have a dark moustachial stripe.

Bec

Short, hooked grey bill with a yellow cere

Red-crowned Crane

Plumage

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.

Bec

Long, straight, olive-green bill

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About These Birds

Common Kestrel

The common kestrel is Europe's most abundant falcon, famous for its ability to hover motionless in the wind while scanning for prey. Research has shown kestrels can see ultraviolet light, allowing them to detect vole urine trails that reflect UV. The species has adapted remarkably well to urban environments.

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.

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