Species File: Exploring India’s biodiversity, one species at a time.
A new study of sarus cranes across the agricultural landscapes of Uttar Pradesh, Haryana and Gujarat found that the birds follow a three-part structure in their duets, loud, coordinated calls produced by mating pairs. The female typically initiates the duet, which has an introduction, trill and main segment. While the acoustic details vary between populations and pairs, the researchers found no distinct regional “dialects”.
The sarus crane (Antigone antigone) is the world’s tallest flying bird, standing up to 1.8 meters with a wingspan of 2.4 meters. The birds are recognisable through their grey bodies with a bright red neck and head. Unlike songbirds, sarus cranes have a more primitive vocal system called the pharynx and a limited number of vocalisations. While males and females are visually difficult to distinguish, researchers have found a way to tell them apart through the notes in their calls.
The state bird of Uttar Pradesh, sarus cranes are mostly found in wetlands, grasslands and agricultural landscape. Its numbers are rising particularly in Uttar Pradesh’s Rohilkhand region. A total of 1,942 sarus cranes have been recorded in the region and forest department officials say the increase reflects ongoing conservation efforts, especially in wetlands and marshy areas, and is a boost for ecological balance.
The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Species categorises the sarus crane as vulnerable, which means it faces a high risk of extinction in the wild. In India, it has the highest legal protection under Schedule I of the Wildlife Protection Act 1972. Apart from India, the bird is also found in Nepal, Pakistan, Southeast Asia and Australia.
Despite a growing population in some parts, changing crop patterns and shrinking wetlands remain significant concerns for the bird’s survival. Concretisation of farmlands and wetlands is among its biggest threats.
In a report that Mongabay-India published in June 2022, K.S. Gopi Sundar from Nature Conservation Foundation, said, “The main threats to the sarus crane in India are habitat loss and degradation, owing to the draining of wetlands and conversion for agriculture.”
Read more about how sarus crane pairs use unique duets to mark territories and strengthen their bonds, and how communities are helping conserve the species.
Also listen to the song of the sarus crane in this episode of our podcast Wild Frequencies.
Banner image: A pair of sarus cranes. Image by Sourav Ghosh via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0).
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