Cranes are a type of large bird with long legs and necks in the biological family Gruidae of the order Gruiformes. The family has 15 species placed in four genera which are Antigone, Balearica, Leucogeranus, and Grus. [1] .

Gruiform means "crane-like". Traditionally, a number of wading and terrestrial bird families that did not seem to belong to any other order were classified together as Gruiformes.

Mar 4, 2020 · Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, NY, USA. https://doi.org/10.2173/bow.gruida1.01. A global alliance of nature organizations working to …

Browse North American birds in taxonomic order—by order and family, with quick access to each bird’s photos and sounds.

Mar 1, 2025 · Crane, any of 15 species of tall wading birds of the family Gruidae (order Gruiformes). Superficially, cranes resemble herons but usually are larger and have a partly naked head, a heavier bill, more compact plumage, and an elevated hind toe.

These birds, much like swans, fly with straight necks, as opposed to herons who fly with their necks curled back to their bodies. The cranes are much more vocal than swans or herons and their bugling can be heard for miles around.

Nov 16, 2012 · Cranes constitute one family (Gruidae) in the large avian Order Gruiformes. Limpkins (Aramidae) are the sister-group (closest relatives) of cranes, and these two families together with trumpeters (Psophiidae) form a monophyletic group (clade) usually recognized as Gruoidea (gruoids).

May 27, 2024 · America’s largest bird is a whooping crane, standing five feet tall and spreading wings up to seven feet. They are known for being highly social birds that perform elaborate dances to attract lifelong mates. Fifteen different species of these birds live across five continents.

Cranes are a family, the Gruidae, of large, long-legged, and long-necked birds in the group Gruiformes. The 15 species of cranes are placed in three genera, Antigone , Balearica , and Grus . Unlike the similar-looking but unrelated herons, cranes fly …

Sep 7, 2024 · Gruidae. Included genera (for IOC classification 7.2): Antigone (genus), Balearica, Grus, Leucogeranus. Included genera (for IOC classification 2.6): Balearica, Grus Note: IOC classification 2.6 has incorporated the species of Bugeranus and Anthropoides in …

Nov 28, 2023 · Each of the 15 species of the Gruidae family exhibits distinct characteristics, from their varied habitats and diets to their particular behaviors. Studying these birds is a rewarding challenge for bird lovers and curious minds.

According to the taxonomy, there are five families in the bird order Gruiformes: Aramidae (Limpkins). Gruidae (Cranes). Heliornithidae (Finfoots). Psophiidae (Trumpeters). Rallidae (Coots, Rails, & more). Based on the current classification, there are roughly about 165 species and 269 sub-species in this bird order.

Cranes are a family, Gruidae, of large, long-legged and long-necked birds in the group Gruiformes. There are fifteen species of crane in four genera. Unlike the similar-looking but unrelated herons, cranes fly with necks outstretched, not pulled back.

Oct 20, 2022 · Species boundaries and relationships within the Gruidae are well understood. The 15-member family includes two distinct clades that are recognized as subfamilies: the crowned-cranes (Balearicinae, 2 species) of Sub-Saharan Africa; and the typical cranes (Gruinae, 13 species), which are widely distributed across the Old World and North America.

There are 15 species of bird in this family. They are large birds with long necks; long legs; and large, straight bills.

Cranes are tall birds with large wings, long legs, and long, graceful necks. Most species are black and white or gray in color. Often there are bright patches of bare red skin that are shown in threat and dance displays. Cranes are found on all continents except for Antarctica and South America. Most cranes live in wetland habitats.

Gruiformes is an Order of birds, containing several families which generally include those of the Limpkin, Rails and Cranes. Click on the thumbnails to see more of each species. Today’s Limpkin is the only living member of the family Aradidae, though there are fossil species. It is sort of intermediate between Cranes and Rails.

Jan 22, 2025 · gruiform, (order Gruiformes), any member of a rather loose assemblage of 12 families of birds that are generally agreed to be related but that differ widely in many aspects. Gruiforms are an ancient group with a rich fossil history, but many families are now restricted in range and few in number.

Long-legged, long-necked wading birds with relatively short, but powerful beaks, they are found in wet grassland and shallow lakes throughout the world. They are omnivorous, eating everything from seed to frogs, and some species have adapted to foraging in agricultural fields.

The Anatidae are the biological family of water birds that includes ducks, geese, and swans.The family has a cosmopolitan distribution, occurring on all the world's continents except Antarctica.These birds are adapted for swimming, floating on the water surface, and, in some cases, diving in at least shallow water.The family contains around 174 species in 43 genera …

Mar 4, 2020 · Common Crane (Grus grus), version 1.0. In Birds of the World (J. del Hoyo, A. Elliott, J. Sargatal, D. A. Christie, and E. de Juana, Editors). Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, NY, USA. https://doi.org/10.2173/bow.comcra.01.

Family: Gruidae Order: Gruiformes Description Fifteen species of cranes make up this distinct, worldwide family, which has no close relatives. Members of this group are large, walk slowly along the ground, and fly with their long necks fully extended.