White-naped crane
Antigone vipioWith the white-naped crane it’s the female who initiates the courtship ritual, which consists of a long series of calls and movements. Both the male and female extend their necks and lift their heads before the female calls out twice and the male responds.
Height: 115 - 130 cm Wingspan: 200 – 210 cm
The cranes live in wetlands and humid woodland. In April, the birds arrive at the breeding site and seek out the same partner as in previous years. The nest is constructed on damp ground at the wetlands’ edge and is built from dry sedges and other common grasses. The female lays one or two eggs. During the 30-day incubation period, the cranes aggressively defend the area surrounding the nest.
Their diet comprises insects, small invertebrates, sedge grass roots and other wetland plants.
At Nordens Ark, we work a lot with enrichment, which means that we stimulate the animals' natural behavior in different ways with different challenges. Below you see how our zookeeper John prepares an exciting meal for our cranes.