Wattled crane

Description

The wattled crane is the largest African crane. Its head is white, with a grey mark on the crown. The rest of the body is white and grey. The area around the eyes to the bottom of the beak and to the chin has no feathers, leaving its red skin colour visible to the naked eye. There are wart-like bumps of different sizes in this area and reaching to the wattle, which is where the name comes from. 

Ethology

They form pairs during mating season. The male courts the female jumping, dancing and by throwing sticks. The clutch may consist of 1-2 eggs, but only 1 chick will generally survive to hatch and fledge. The incubation period is 36-40 days.

Interesting facts

The gravest threat that this species faces is the loss and degradation of the wetlands where it lives, due to intensification of agriculture and industrialisation and the construction of dams and irrigation systems which causes water levels to drop. Another significant threat is increased human activity near its mating areas, which decreases its reproductive success.