Red-crowned Crane vs Wattled Crane

Red-crowned Crane

Grus japonensis

Huge8.8 kgWetland

Adult red-crowned cranes are named for a patch of red bare skin on the crown, which becomes brighter during the mating season. Overall, they are snow white in color with black on the wing secondaries, which can appear almost like a black tail when the birds are standing, but the real tail feathers are actually white. Males are black on the cheeks, throat, and neck, while females are pearly gray in these spots. The bill is olive green to a greenish horn, the legs are slate to grayish black, and the iris is dark brown.

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Photo: Animalculum · CC BY 4.0

Wattled Crane

Grus carunculata

At a height known to range from 150 to 175 cm (4 ft 11 in to 5 ft 9 in), it is the largest crane in Africa and is the second tallest species of crane in the world, after the sarus crane. It is also the tallest flying bird native to Africa third only among all birds to the two species of ostrich. The wattled crane is taller and, despite the appearance of gracility imparted by its sharp but slim beak and slender neck and legs, is the heaviest on average of several very large, long-legged waders in Africa (i.e. the 2 largest African storks, shoebill, greater flamingo, goliath heron).

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Photo: http://www.birdphotos.com · CC BY 3.0

Photos and recordings are credited to their authors under the licence shown. Full profiles: Red-crowned Crane and Wattled Crane.