Blue Crane

The Blue Crane, also known at the Stanley Crane or Paradise Crane, is native to southern Africa. With its long tertial feathers and its uniquely-shaped head feathering, it has among the most elegant of silhouettes of all cranes. It is the national bird of Zimbabwe. In the wild, these cranes thrive in grasslands, wetlands, and agricultural areas, where they feed on grains, insects, and small aquatic animals. Known for their monogamous breeding habits, blue cranes build large nests and often engage in elaborate courtship displays. Due to habitat loss and hunting, the blue crane is now considered vulnerable, prompting conservation efforts to protect this graceful symbol of African wildlife. Fortunately, Blue Cranes are fairly well-established in zoos in the US. Avian Resources is one of the few private collections to have the privilege to work with them.