SA's National Bird

The national bird of South Africa, the Blue Crane, is endemic to southern Africa with most of its range falling within South Africa. It is the world’s most range-restricted crane. 

The very gracious and elegant Blue Crane is easily recognizable by the large size and overall grey/blue appearance, white crown and with long elongated wing feathers that are often confused with tail feathers. These feathers are in fact elongated tertial feathers of the inner wing and when the wing is folded hang almost to the ground. In flight the long neck is stretched out in front and the long legs to the rear.

Travelling along a gravel road between the farmlands and coming across a land teeming with Blue Cranes is an incredible sight to behold.  At certain times of the year Blue Cranes congregate and you can often see them "dancing".  The Blue Crane dance remains a spectacular event and that is when various behaviours such as bowing, jumping, running, stick or grass tossing, and wing flapping take place. 

They are rather sociable at this time, however, at breeding time they are territorial and will chase off other Blue Cranes from the site.  Dancing can occur at any age and is commonly associated with courtship and to strengthen pair bonding.

It is, however, more common to see Blue Cranes in pairs in fields especially during the breeding season in early Spring.  Maybe you get lucky and spot a Blue Crane on a nest. This nest is usually close to water, sometimes even on a small island in the middle of a body of water.  Blue Crane chicks are fortunately good swimmers!