Demoiselle Crane

     The Demoiselle Crane is a species of Cranes found in central Eurasia, ranging from the Black Sea to Mongolia and North Eastern China. It’s the smallest and lightest crane species in the world, and it’s found in plentiful numbers in its habitat ranges.

     The Demoiselle crane is a fully migratory bird that may travel vast distances without landing to rest or feed. Birds from western Eurasia will spend the winter in Africaو whilst the birds from Asia, Mongolia and China will spend the winter in the Indian subcontinent.

     Demoiselle cranes are slightly smaller than the Common Crane, but have similar plumage and they are almost 76 cm tall with a wingspan of 155 – 180 cm. The head and the neck are black, while the rest of the body and the crown are ashy-blue in color. The Demoiselle crane has also characteristic long and pointed black feathers that hang below the breast, white ear tufts, and and black legs and toes..

     Demoiselle cranes live in a variety of different environments, including desert areas and numerous types of grasslands. When nesting, they prefer patchy areas of vegetation which is tall enough to conceal them and their nests, yet short enough to allow them look out for predators whilst incubating their eggs. Female Demoiselle cranes usually lay two eggs and incubation (by both sexes) lasts 27 – 29 days. The male takes the primary role in defending the nest against possible dangers, and chicks usually fledge at 55 – 65 days, which is the shortest fledging period of any crane species.