A large bird with a white neck, dark wings, and a red-speckled beak stands near a chain-link fence with a blurred natural background.

Wattled Crane

Paignton Zoo cares for two wattled cranes.

Wattled CraneBugeranus carunculatus

  • Class:

    Aves

  • Order:

    Gruiformes

  • Family:

    Gruidae

About the wattled crane

The wattled crane is the tallest crane species in Africa, inhabiting marshes, floodplains, and wetlands in eastern and southern Africa, including Zambia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, and South Africa. It is recognised by its grey body, white face, and prominent neck wattles.

It feeds on plant matter and invertebrates and forms strong territorial pair bonds.

Conservation

The species is classified as Vulnerable, with wetland drainage, disturbance, and infrastructure collision affecting populations across southern and eastern Africa.