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Name || Brolga, Australian Crane
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Scientific Name || Grus rubicundus |
Conservation Status || Lower Risk |
Habitat || The Brolga is found mostly in the tropical north or in the east of Australia. They love to congregate in fresh water and swampy grasslands, but can survive in marginal brackish and salty wetlands. |
Unique Features ||
The Brolga is a tall and slender bird, with very long legs which are mainly grey and a slender neck (grey) which is topped with a bare head and a red patch of skin behind the eye running around the back of the head. Adult plumage (feathers) is also grey. They grow to around 1 meter tall with a wingspan of 2 meters. Because Brolgas often nest and live in brackish water they are the only crane species to have a gland in the corner of their eyes which helps to pass excessive salt.
Social Behaviour ||
Brolgas are normally found in large noisy flocks (sometimes 1,000 or more). Each family group in the flock is lead by a male. When the wet season is over they may have to fly large distances to find food.
Diet ||
Brolgas have a varied diet but love sedge tubers (small, starchy swellings on roots of wetland plants). They also like grain crops, seeds, insects (invertebrates), and a range of small vertebrates like frogs and small reptiles. The brolga looks for food during daylight hours.
Reproduction ||
Breeding season in northern Australia begins in November or December during the "pre-wet." Once the wet starts to arrive they start to "nest". Their nests tend to be found in swampy grasslands, where they make a platform of grasses, reeds and sedge (around a 1 1/2-meter diameter). Both the female and the male (who mate for life) incubate the clutch of two white eggs that take a month to hatch. The young when born are active quickly (two-three hours) and remain with both parents for a year or so. They breed in a typical family unit but after a short period (four months approx.) when the wetlands start to dry up, they return to coastal waters to reform large flocks.
Heat damage to eggs is a problem which is alleviated three ways:
1) The eggs are almost white to reflect sunlight and heat.
2) Nests are sometimes built in the shade of trees.
3) Parents stand over the nests offering shade.
Life Cycle ||
Brolga cranes can live for 60 years or more.
Relatives ||
Related to the other crane species, particularly the Australian sarus crane, with which they can interbreed.
Interesting Facts :
- Brolgas may search for cooler air by flying to high altitudes.
- This is what brolgas are most famous for, their mating dance. With wings spread and facing each other the two brolgas jump, dance, pirouette, prance about and perform also a lot of head shaking. At the same time they often make loud trumpeting calls. The dance is very smooth looking and graceful.
- Aborigines perform a crane dance that may date back thousands of years.
Cranes are aggressive birds. When fighting, they leap into the air to rake opponents with their sharp claws or stab at an opponent with their bill.
- Although running cranes look awkward, they can easily outrun a person.
Breeding Programme ||
There is no breeding programme for Brolga at Wellington Zoo.
Environmental Conditions ||
It is hard to estimate numbers in Australia but it is said to range between 20,000 and 100,000.
Threats are many and varied to the brolga.
1) Loss of wetland habitats due to:
- Grazing of livestock.
- Changes in vegetation.
- Wetland reclamation.
- Erosion damage.
- Upriver drainage for farmlands.
2) Red Foxes (introduced).
3) Incidental poisoning.
4) Collisions with Power lines etc.
5) Fencing which can entangle chicks when moving back to wetter coastal plains.
At Wellington Zoo ||
We have 2 Brolga's at Wellington Zoo; 1 male and 1 female. The female arrived from Auckland Zoo on 6 September 2003.
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:: Brolga at Wellington Zoo
:: Brown Kiwi
:: Kea
:: Kereru
:: Kotuku
:: Campbell Island Teal
:: Emu
:: Brolga
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