The distribution of this graceful crane, which is about one meter tall, is essentially limited to South Africa. The blue crane has long legs, graceful wing plumes that sweep to the ground, a long neck that supports a somewhat bulbous head, and a light blue-grey color. It eats seeds, insects and reptiles. The bare veld, frequently near water, is where blue cranes lay their eggs. They are frequently observed in the Karoo, but they are also found in the highveld and KwaZulu-Natal’s grasslands. Usually, they are seen in small family groups or pairs.
Anthropoides paradisa, commonly referred to as the Stanley Crane or the Paradise Crane, is a tall, ground-dwelling member of the crane family that is slightly over one meter tall. Its plumage is a pale blue-gray hue, and it has long, dark gray feathers at the tips of its wings that trail to the ground. Its bill is pink.
The Eastern Cape, Lesotho, and Swaziland have seen a significant decline in the Blue Crane population during the past 20 years. The number of people living in the northern Free State, KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo, Gauteng, Mpumalanga, and North West Province has decreased by up to 90%. There is a tiny, distinct population in the Etosha Pan of northern Namibia, but the bulk of the remaining population lives in eastern and southern South Africa. Occasionally, isolated breeding pairs are found in five neighboring countries.
It eats seeds, insects and reptiles. The bare veld, frequently near water, is where blue cranes lay their eggs. They are frequently observed in the Karoo, but they are also found in the highveld and KwaZulu-Natal’s grasslands. Usually, they are seen in small family groups or pairs. It prefers moist areas and deposits its eggs on the earth. It consumes seeds, insects, and small reptiles while it grazes in the field.
A very special bird to the AmaXhosa people, who call it indwe, is the Blue Crane. A chief would frequently adorn a man who had shown courage or any other kind of honorable behavior by giving him the feathers of this bird. Feathers would be presented during a ceremony called ukundzabela, which the chief would organize after a battle. Men who were so honorable that they wore feathers protruding from their hair were referred to as “men of ugaba” (trouble), with the idea being that in the event of trouble, these men would restore peace and order.
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