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Project Noah Nature School
Grus rubicunda
Tall soft grey coloured wading bird of Australia. One of the world's largest cranes. Wide red band across head, long gery legs, long beak. Adults grow to between 1.2 & 2 metres in height, with an even more extensive full wingspan. Known for their trumpeting call and elaborate dancing rituals the Brolga or Native Companion is part of traditional Aboriginal culture.
Distributed throughout much of eastern and across the north and into north west Australia. Prefers wet grasslands, swamp country, wet farmlands and shallow lake regions. Nests on a mound in shallow water and is nomadic although some pairs will stay in one area for many years.
I stepped out onto the back verandah this morning to watch the sunrise over the filling wetlands, and caught sight of the resident Brolga pair in a private moment mating. The photos are not as clear as I would have liked as they are at the limit of my zoom but thought them worthwhile showing to anyone who might be interested.
Spotted on Jan 24, 2015
Submitted on Jan 24, 2015
4 Comments
Very similar looking. We also have Sarus Cranes here in Australia which also look similar but have the red colouring extending further down the head & neck.
These look like our SANDHILL CRANES
Thanks Mark. If you travel to the northern parts of Australia you would probably see them at close range. Quite a few at this time of year coming further down from north into northern NSW where they were once more common as well. If the amount of birdlife I see here now is a small amount compared to earlier decades then it must have been an amazing place! Species count on birds alone has surpassed 60 easily.
Beautiful scene. I still haven't seen these in the wild.