Sarus Crane

Grus antigone

Beak

—

Feet

—

Crest

No crest

Resident. Mainly NW India and W Nepal. A huge, mainly pale grey crane with reddish legs and very large bill. Adult is grey, with bare red head and upper neck and bare ashy-green crown. in flight. black primaries contrast with rest of wing. Immature has rusty-buff feathering to head and neck, a ndupperparts are marked with brown; older immatures are similar to adult but have dull red head a ndupper neck and lack greenish crown of adult. G. a. shatp//, which occurs in NE subcontinent. is darker grey than nominate, with uniform grey neck(whiter on lower neck in nominate}, with elongated tertials concolorous with rest of upperparts. Cultivation in well-watered country; also marshes. lakes and large rivers. Globally treatened.