known native companion bird crane family given australian crane term coined known artist common wetland bird species tropical south eastern australia new_guinea tall upright bird small head long slender neck long legs plumage mainly grey black wing tips orange red band colour head known intricate mating dance nest built sticks island usually eggs laid takes days newly hatched young adult diet plant matter invertebrates small eaten bird considered endangered majority range populations showing decline especially southern australia local action plans undertaken areas official bird emblem state queensland description tall bird large long slender neck like legs sexes indistinguishable appearance females usually little smaller adult grey green skin covered crown face throat coral red parts head olive green clothed dark particularly adult males covered dense appear black green long slender iris yellowish orange ear appear grey patch small feathers surrounded red naked skin body plumage grey feathers wing pale margins primary wing feathers black grey legs feet black juveniles lack red band fully heads dark fully grown reach height metres wingspan metres adult males average slightly kilograms females averaging little kilograms weight range kilograms easily confused crane red head extends partly neck confined head grey colour legs pink calls makes lower pitch additionally australia range limited scattered northern australia compared widespread distribution distribution habitat widespread abundant north north east australia especially north east queensland common far south victoria found southern new_guinea rare new_zealand northern western_australia population northern australia estimated birds southern australia birds numbers individuals new_guinea unknown non migratory different areas response seasonal rains northern australia dry season june november populations largely occupy strip freshwater kilometres wide lying coastal hills swamps fringe sea visit freshwater vicinity river tidal pools edges lakes farmland december shortly start monsoon season disperse breeding areas remain near coast kilometres inland similar habitats little known movements habitats new_guinea populations south victoria new_south_wales rainfall spread evenly year season lasts december time southern populations inland areas include marshes edges lakes agricultural land rain arrives june july disperse coastal freshwater marshes shallow lakes wet meadows wetlands breed queensland state greatest numbers found flocks individuals seen bird official bird emblem state appears coat arms ecology behaviour creatures basic social unit pair small family group birds usually parents juvenile offspring groups unrelated non breeding season gather large flocks appear self contained individual groups single social unit flock families tend remain separate coordinate activities flock taking ground flight wings bird black visible air speed flight graceful great heights barely wheels great circles cry diet forage wetlands marshes tear ground powerful search edible roots northern populations mainly eat extract digging holes mud available south brisbane eat shoots leaves wetland plants grains seeds insects crustaceans frogs marshes drink water near eyes excess salt mating breeding usually bond life new follow fatality individual feature couple calling female usually stands wings folded pointed sky series calls male stands alongside similar posture wings longer emitted female known intricate mating dances performance begins bird picking grass air catching bill bird jumps metre yard air wings continues stretching neck calling head dances mate dance pairs group dozen dance lining roughly opposite start breeds range australia new_guinea start breeding season largely determined rainfall time year season february rainy season areas september december southern australia flocks split pairs establish nesting territories wetlands food rich habitats nests close found area crane nest built sexes raised mound sticks uprooted grass plant material sited small island shallow water occasionally floating grasses available mud roots unearthed marsh beds employed birds hardly nest disused swan nest simply lay bare ground single brood produced year clutch size usually occasionally eggs laid days apart dull white eggs sparsely spotted reddish brown markings larger end egg measure millimetres sexes eggs female sitting nest night hatching occurs thirty days newly hatched chicks covered grey weigh grams able leave nest day parents feed guard young chicks weeks fully months able fly weeks later threatened hide stay quiet parents perform broken wing display distract predator adults continue protect young months nearly years breed interim conservation status iucn red list threatened species lists concern large range population individuals population declining slowly rate warrant included vulnerable category listed threatened act conservation status varies state state australia example listed threatened victorian flora act action statement recovery future management species prepared included advisory list threatened fauna victoria listed vulnerable chief threats faced particularly southern range habitat destruction drainage wetlands collision predation introduced red fox secure northern habitat land unsuitable farming national parks private ownership changes vegetation cover encouraged activities feral pigs reduce abundance vulnerable providing cover predators conservation measures undertaken include international cooperation legal protection research monitoring habitat management education maintenance captive flocks propagation bird breeds wild proved problematic breed captivity conservation organisation located wisconsin began captive breeding programme pairs wild captured australia imported fertile eggs breeding taxonomy described naturalist species genus includes fact member order includes rails cranes member genus wrote noted widespread north east australia recorded easy kept pair home calling australian crane mentioned early colonial native companion popular derived official bird suggested crane white crane formed natural group basis similarities calls confirmed molecular studies dna showed closely related white crane similar crane traditionally considered subspecies northern australian crane found western_australia western queensland southern australian crane occurs new_guinea queensland new south wales victoria south australia subspecies ranges coincide authorities consider subspecies merely separate populations bird adapted breed different periods year
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