Klunkerkranich

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Klunkerkranich
Klunkerkranich 8409.jpg

Rock Crane ( Bugeranus carunculatus )

Systematics
Class : Birds (aves)
Order : Crane birds (Gruiformes)
Family : Common crane (Gruidae)
Subfamily : Common cranes (Gruinae)
Genre : Bugeranus
Type : Klunkerkranich
Scientific name of the  genus
Bugeranus
Gloger , 1842
Scientific name of the  species
Bugeranus carunculatus
( Gmelin , 1789)
Portrait of a rock crane at the Louisville Zoo

The wattled crane ( Bugeranus carunculatus ) is an African crane species.

features

The Klunkerkranich gets its name from the two white feathered lobes that hang down on both sides of its throat. At a standing height of 165 to 175 cm, the Klunkerkranich can weigh up to 8.5 kg. The male hardly differs from the female and is at most slightly larger and of a stronger build. You almost always lay only 1 egg. The young bird has smaller lobes than the adult birds and is not gray at the top, but white.

Occurrence

The rock crane is more dependent on wetlands than other crane species. That is why it sometimes undertakes longer hikes when its habitat becomes too dry. The main distribution area extends over southern Africa to the Congo . A small separate population lives in Ethiopia .

food

The diet consists of tubers and roots of aquatic plants as well as insects, snails, frogs and other vertebrates.

Reproduction

The Klunkerkranich first breeds at the age of eight to nine years. The nest has a diameter of 120 to 180 cm and is built from reed stalks and other dry plant parts in a well-protected place in the shallow water. The breeding season is generally between May and August and is also heavily dependent on seasonal rainfall. The single egg is incubated for 31 to 34 days. After hatching, the young bird immediately leaves the nest and begins its first flight attempts at 15-18 weeks, but they can only fly properly at 21 weeks.

Web links

Commons : Klunkerkranich  - Album with pictures, videos and audio files