Lumbini Crane Conservation Center

A joint effort between Nepalese Crane Conservationists and International Crane Foundation, USA

 

Cranes of the world

There are fifteen species of cranes found in the world. Cranes belong to the order Gruiformes, and the family Gruidae. The crane family (Gruidae) is divided into two sub-families, the Crowned Cranes (Balearicinae) and the Typical Cranes (Gruinae), Crowned Cranes are distinguished from Typical Cranes by their lack of a coiled trachea, their loose body plumage, and their inability to withstand severe cold. They retain the ability to roost in trees, and are only the cranes able to do so. Their calls are also simpler than those of the Typical Cranes

Sn.	Scientific name	Common name	IUCN category	CITES list
1.	Balearica pavonina	Black Crowned Crane	Vulnerable	Appendix-II
1.1	B. p. pavonina	West African Crowned Crane	Endangered
1.2	B. p. ceciliae	Sudan Crowned Crane	Vulnerable
2.	Balearica regulorum	Grey Crowned Crane	Vulnerable	Appendix-II
2.1	B. r. gibbericeps	East African Crowned Crane	Vulnerable
2.2	B. r. regulorum	South African Crowned Crane	Endangered
3.	Anthropoides paradisea	Blue Crane	Critically Endg.	Appendix-II
4.	Anthropoides virgo	Demoiselle Crane	Lower Risk	Appendix-II
5.	Bugeranus carunculatus	Wattled Cranee	Endangered	Appendix-II
6.	Grus leucogeranus	Siberian Crane	Endangered	Appendix-I
7.	Grus canadensis	Sandhill Crane	Lower Risk	Appendix-II
7.1	G. c. canadensis	Lesser S.C.	Lower Risk
7.2	G. c. rowani	Canadian S.C.	Lower Risk
7.3	G. c. tabida	Greater S. C.	Lower Risk
7.4	G. c. pratensis	Florida S. C.	Lower Risk
7.5	G. c. pulla	Mississippi S. C.	Critically Endg.
7.6	G. c. nesiotes	Cuban S. C.	Critically Endg.
8.	Grus antigone	Saurs Crane	Endangered	Appendix-II
8.1	G. a. antigone	Indian S. C.	Endangered
8.2	G. a. sharpii	Eastern S. C.	Endangered
8.3	G. a. gilli	Australian S. C.	Data Deficient
9.	Grus rubicundus	Brolga	Lower Risk	Appendix-II
10.	Grus vipio	White-naped Crane	Vulnerable	Appendix-I
11.	Grus monachus	Hooded Crane	Vulnerable	Appendix-I
12.	Grus grus	Eurasian Crane	Lower Risk	Appendix-II
13.	Grus americana	Whooping Crane	Endangered	Appendix-I
14.	Grus nigricollis	Black-necked Crane	Vulnerable	Appendix-I
15.	Grus japonensis	Red-necked Crane	Endangered	Appendix-I

There are two species: The Black Crowned Crane of the African Sahel Savannah from Senegal to Ethiopia, and the Grey Crowned Crane of the East African savannahs from Kenya to South Africa.

The Typical Cranes are divided into three genera: Anthropoides, Bugeranus and Grus. The Demoiselle Crane (Anthroides virgo) and Blue Crane (A. paradisea) have bustard like short toes and bills, and like the bustard live in grasslands.

Although the morphological features of the Anthropoides species and the Bugeranus carunculatus (Wattled Crane) are dramatically different. Studies of their behavior and DNA indicate a close relationship between them.

The Wattled Crane is a much more aquatic species. The species in the genus Grus are placed in five groups. The first group includes Sandhill Crane (Grus canadensis), which stand alone, as does the Siberian Crane (Gurs leucogeranus) in second group. The third group includes the Sarus Crane (Grus antigone), the Brolga (Grus vipio). The group of five consists of the Eurasian Crane (Grus grus), Whooping Crane (Grus americana), Hooded Crane (Grus monachus), Black-necked Crane (Grus nigricollis), and Red-crowned Crane (Grus japonenses).

Chhatrapati 90, Kathmandu, Nepal
977-1-4252417, 977-71-580186
info@lumbinicrane.org