This bird can be found from pretty much Uganda to South Africa. It's not terribly uncommon, and it is the national bird of Uganda. They stand up to 3.3 feet tall and weigh about 8 lbs. I didn't really know about them until I went to E. Africa a few years ago -- these are some pictures I took.
There are a couple things striking about this bird:
1. It is one of only two crane species that roosts in trees. This is mainly so it doesn't fall prey to animals on the ground.
2. Its mating behavior. Cranes are known for its "Dance" which is essentially flapping its wings, jumping up and down, and bowing to the female. If done well, the female will mate.
This isn't a fantastic video, but from the first couple seconds, you get the idea:
No comments:
Post a Comment