Top 5 Large Species of Crane Found in India

Cranes are listed as tallest flying bird in the world and also one of the heaviest flying birds of India. There are five large species of Cranes found in India including both migratory and resident breeder. Here is the list of top 5 largest species of crane birds found in Indian Sub-continent.

Common Crane (Grus grus)

Common crane also called as Eurasian crane is a large sized species used to commonly found in Europe and breeds in far eastern Europe to northern half of the Indian subcontinent. Indian state of Rajsthan and Gujarat described the species of cranes in many folk songs and text.

Sarus Crane (Antigone antigone)

Sarus crane is the largest and nonmigratory crane bird found in parts of the Indian subcontinent. The tallest of the flying birds at a height of 5 ft 11 inc, And the form long-lasting pair bonds, courtship displays and dance-like movements.

The rice fields of Uttar Pradesh, Bharatpur in Rajasthan and agricultural fields of other North Indian states, breeding pairs of Sarus cranes can be seen.

Demoiselle Crane (Grus virgo)

The Demoiselle species of crane found from from the Black Sea to Asia and spends the winter in the Indian subcontinent. Demoiselle crane is known as the koonj/kurjan in local languages of Indian states and the bird is symbolically shown in the epic of Mahabharata and Ramayana as koonj.

Khichan village in the Thar Desert of Rajasthan is a paradise for nature and bird watchers. The Kheechan village is best known as winter ground for a large number of demoiselle cranes that visit every winter.

Black-necked Crane (Grus nigricollis)

The black-necked crane breeds in far remote villages of northern India and cold mountains of Ladakh. Black-necked cranes forage on the ground in small groups and Like other crane species, they also form long-lasting pair bonds.

Siberian Crane (Leucogeranus leucogeranus)

Siberian crane is a Migratory bird coming to Indian wetlands in search of food and supplies. The Critically Endangered bird are distinctive among the other species of cranes found in India by snowy white feathers.

Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary or Keoladeo National Park in Rajasthan is the best place to spot number migrant birds in Indian, including the rare Siberian crane and the resident cranes of India.