At a glance
- IUCN category
- VU · Vulnerable
- Animal group
- Birds
- Population trend
- Decreasing
- Last verified
Conservation overview
The blue crane is a pale blue-grey crane with elegant trailing wing feathers, the national bird of South Africa. It is assessed as Vulnerable.
It is strongly tied to grasslands and farmland.
Range & habitat
Grasslands and farmland of southern Africa, mainly South Africa.
Major threats
Threats below are drawn from the authoritative sources listed on this page. For the current, complete assessment, see the IUCN Red List.
- Poisoning (deliberate and accidental)
- Collisions with power lines
- Habitat change
Why it matters
A national symbol and grassland specialist, the blue crane is a flagship for conserving South Africa's grasslands and reducing power-line and poisoning hazards.
Sources
Sources for Blue Crane
- IUCN Red List — look up Blue Crane (authoritative status)
- BirdLife International
Frequently Asked Questions
What does the blue crane look like?
It is a graceful pale blue-grey crane with long, trailing inner wing feathers that look like a sweeping tail, and it stands about a metre tall.
Why is the blue crane Vulnerable?
Published assessments cite poisoning, collisions with power lines, and habitat change across its grassland and farmland range. See the IUCN Red List.
Last updated: