The Blue Crane is a slender, pale blue-grey crane and the national bird of South Africa, celebrated for its upright bearing and the long, dark wingtip feathers that trail behind it like a train. Slightly smaller than most cranes, it has a rounded, almost bulbous head and a graceful neck, and it is often seen striding across open grassland or standing sentinel in farmland.
It is famous for its elaborate dancing displays, in which birds leap, bow and toss vegetation, and for its haunting calls that carry across the veld. Although still a familiar sight in parts of its range, the species has a very restricted world distribution and faces pressures from habitat change and poisoning, keeping it under close conservation attention.
A tall, elegant crane in soft ashy blue-grey, best identified by its pale silvery head, long neck and the distinctive long, dark inner wing feathers that sweep down to the ground and are often mistaken for a tail. In flight the black primaries contrast with the paler body and the neck and legs are held straight out.
| Size | Tall crane, about 100 to 120 cm in height |
| Plumage | Pale blue-grey overall, darker on the crown and nape |
| Head | Rounded, pale, almost bulbous crown |
| Wingtips | Long dark plumes trailing to the ground |
| Bill | Short, ochre to greyish, sometimes pinkish |
| Flight | Black primaries contrast with pale body |
The Blue Crane gives a loud, rattling, nasal call that is higher and more grating than the bugling of larger cranes. Pairs and flocks use these far-carrying calls to keep contact across open ground, and calling often accompanies their bowing and leaping dances during courtship and social interactions.
The species has one of the most restricted distributions of any crane, with the overwhelming majority of birds in eastern and southern South Africa and a small, isolated population around the Etosha Pan in Namibia. It favours dry, open grasslands and agricultural land, breeding in upland grassy areas and moving to lower altitudes outside the breeding season.
Blue Cranes forage on the ground, taking a mix of grass seeds, sedges and other plant material along with insects, especially large grasshoppers. They also eat small animals such as frogs, crabs, snails, lizards and even small snakes, and this animal protein is particularly important when feeding growing chicks.
Breeding is seasonal, with eggs typically laid between spring and late summer. Nests are simple, placed on the ground in open grassland or wetland margins, sometimes as little more than a scrape. A clutch is usually two eggs, incubated by both parents, with the male often taking the night shift, and the pair defends the young vigorously.
- Grey Crowned Crane: Another African crane but taller and unmistakable with a golden crown of bristles and a red throat wattle.
- Wattled Crane: Larger African crane with white neck and dangling throat wattles, lacking the trailing blue-grey wing plumes.
- Common Crane: Similar grey crane of Eurasia but with a red crown patch and true bugling calls rather than trailing wing plumes.
Why is the Blue Crane special to South Africa?
It is the national bird of South Africa and is largely endemic to the country, so it carries strong cultural significance and is a familiar symbol of the highveld grasslands and farmland where it lives.
What are those long feathers dragging behind it?
They are elongated inner wing feathers, not tail feathers. When the bird walks they trail elegantly along the ground, giving the crane its distinctive silhouette.
Why is the Blue Crane considered Vulnerable?
Its world range is very small and concentrated in South Africa, so threats such as poisoning, collisions with power lines and changes to grassland and farming can affect a large share of the population at once.
Do Blue Cranes really dance?
Yes. They perform energetic displays of leaping, bowing and tossing grass or sticks, both during courtship and as social behaviour, which is one of their most memorable traits.