Blue crane – Elegant but no less resilient

Blue crane – Anthropoides paradiseus

Class: Aves

Territory: South Africa, Namibia

Diet: Plants, insects, worms

Lifespan: 15 years

Adult weight: 3.5 kg (5.7 lb)

Conservation status: Vulnerable

Historically, this species was only found in areas of low disturbance, but that is no longer the case. Adapting to the changing environment it finds itself in, this hardy crane is now thriving in areas of highly transformed agricultural land. It is the national bird of South Africa, and holds particular cultural significance for the Xhosa people. Traditionally, when a man had proved himself in acts of valour, a chief decorated him with feathers from a blue crane. It was also believed that if you killed a blue crane, a member of your family would die.

The birds are migratory, but only within southern Africa, and generally migrate between varying altitudes rather than areas of changing climate. While many cranes have a clear preference for wetlands, the blue crane spends its time patrolling the dry, grassy uplands.