INDEX - Asia
INDEX - World 
BIRDS of THE WORLD

GRUIFORMES of Asia

The order Gruiformes contains a considerable number of living and extinct bird families with little in common. In fact, birds have been placed in this order just because it was not clear where else to put them! The rails, cranes, and limpkin are related and are considered part of the true Guiformes. However, the Bustards are unrelated to these true Guiformes.



Cranes

Order Gruiformes    Family Gruidae

Cranes are large, long-legged and long-necked birds . Unlike the similar-looking but unrelated herons, cranes fly with necks outstretched, not pulled back. They are opportunistic feeders that change their diet according to the season and their own nutrient requirements. They eat a range of items from suitably sized small rodents, fish, amphibians, and insects, to grain, berries, and plants. During breeding season cranes are territorial, other times they are sociable and form groups.


Genus Anthropoides

Crane, Demoiselle  Anthropoides virgo  Found: Asia, Africa
Photographed by 1) Sandy Cole - Sylvan Heights   2) Sandy - Sylvan Heights  3) Dick Daniels - Sylvan Heights 
    4, 5, 6, 7) Dick - Sylvan Heights   8) Dick - San Diego Zoo




Genus Grus

Crane, Common aka Eurasian Crane  Grus grus   Found: Europe, Asia 
Photographed by: 1) Marek Szczepanek   2, 3) Sandy Cole - Central Zoo of Nepal


Crane, Red-crowned  Grus japonensis   Found: Asia
Photographed by: 1) KCZooFan   2) Mike Souza


Crane, Sarus  Grus antigone  Found: Asia, Australia
Photographed by Sandy Cole - Central Zoo of Nepal


Crane, White-naped  Grus vipio  Found: Asia
Photographed by: 1, 2) Sandy Cole - Central Zoo of Nepal  3) Sandy Cole - Central Zoo of Nepal






All photos on this site are available for general use. Please credit the photographer. Some images have additional constraints such as no commercial use or no modifications. Click the photo credit link for details.    Dick Daniels, webmaster.