Family GRUIDAE Vigors, 1825

Museums

Regional Maps

• Gruidae Vigors, N.A. 1825. Observations on the natural affinities that connect the orders and families of birds. Transactions of the Linnean Society of London 14: 395-517 [413, 488] [original spelling].

  Type genus:

   Grus Pallas, 1766 [Grus Brisson, 1760, Ornithologia, 5: 374-391 (gender: feminine) (type species, by absolute tautonymy: Ardea grus Linnaeus, 1758, Systema Naturae, Ed. 10, vol. 1, p. 141) (Aves). Op. 103, Direction 55].

  Secondary source:

   Bock, W.J. 1994. History and nomenclature of avian family-group names. Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History 222: 1-281 [136].
• Gruinae Gray, G.R. 1840. A List of the Genera of Birds, with an indication of the typical species of each genus. London : R. & J.E. Taylor viii 80 pp. [Date published Apr 1840: published before Apr.] [66].

  Type genus:

   Grus Pallas, 1766.

  Secondary source:

   Brodkorb, P. 1967. Catalogue of fossil birds. Part 3 (Ralliformes, Ichthyornithiformes, Charadriiformes). Bulletin of the Florida State Museum 11(3): 99-220 [145].
• Anthropoideae Bonaparte, C.L. 1857. Conspectus generum avium. Paris : E.J. Brill Vol. 2 232+23 pp. [published 1850-1857] [101].

  Type genus:

   Anthropoides Vieillot, 1816.

  Secondary source:

   Brodkorb, P. 1967. Catalogue of fossil birds. Part 3 (Ralliformes, Ichthyornithiformes, Charadriiformes). Bulletin of the Florida State Museum 11(3): 99-220 [145].
• Psophiinae Bonaparte, C.L. 1831. Saggio di una distribuzione metodica degli animali vertebrati. Giornale Arcadico di Scienze Lettere ed Arti 49: 3-77 [33].

  Type genus:

   Psophia Linnaeus, 1758 [type = Psophia crepitans, Linnaeus 1758 = Psophiidae [Not Psophinae, Gray, G.R. 1840, p. 66 = Psophila Latham]].
• Balaericinae Brasil, L. 1913. Part 19. Grues. Fam. Gruidae. pp.1-9 in Wytsman, P. Genera avium. Brussels : V. Verteneuil & L. Desmet pp. [8].

  Type genus:

   Balearica Brisson, 1760.

  Secondary source:

   Bock, W.J. 1994. History and nomenclature of avian family-group names. Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History 222: 1-281 [136].
• Megalornithidae Richmond, C.W. 1917. Generic names applied to birds, with additions and corrections to Waterhouse's "Index Genera Avium". Proceedings of the United States National Museum 53: 565-636 [633].

  Type genus:

   Megalornis Gray, G.R., 1841 [a junior synonym of Grus Brisson].

  Secondary source:

   Bock, W.J. 1994. History and nomenclature of avian family-group names. Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History 222: 1-281 [136].
• †Geranoididae Wetmore, A. 1933. Fossil Bird Remains from the Eocene of Wyoming. Condor 35(3): 115-118 [115].

  Type genus:

   †Geranoides Wetmore, A., 1933.

  Secondary source:

   Brodkorb, P. 1967. Catalogue of fossil birds. Part 3 (Ralliformes, Ichthyornithiformes, Charadriiformes). Bulletin of the Florida State Museum 11(3): 99-220 [146].
• †Eogruidae Wetmore, A. 1934. Fossil birds from Mongolia and China. American Museum Novitates 711: 1-16 [3].

  Type genus:

   †Eogrus Wetmore, A., 1934.

  Secondary source:

   Brodkorb, P. 1967. Catalogue of fossil birds. Part 3 (Ralliformes, Ichthyornithiformes, Charadriiformes). Bulletin of the Florida State Museum 11(3): 99-220 [150].

Introduction

The 15 species within the family Gruidae comprise one or two genera of which two species, in the genus Grus>, occur in Australia. This family occurs in Eurasia, Africa, Australia and North America, and is vagrant to New Zealand. Each may be described as being large or very large with long necks and legs; they also have long sturdy bills. They have an enlarged caeca and a cleft palate, and the reduced hallux on the anisodactyl foot is elevated above the other three toes. The sexes do not vary in their external morphology although males are slightly larger. Plumage is basically either or white or grey (to bluish); those frequenting extensive wetlands have greater amounts of white whereas those found in smaller wetlands, grasslands or forest are greyer; white birds are generally larger and all have black flight feathers. The majority of species have areas of bare reddish facial and neck skin while some have plumes and red combs on the head. All exhibit long tertials extending beyond their tail and inner flight feathers.

Gruids are gregarious during the non-breeding season when they gather in large flocks. All fly with outstretched necks and trailing legs often soaring to considerable heights. While several of the non Australian species migrate long distances, Australia’s usually sedentary G. rubicunda and G. antigone, only migrate to wetter regions during periods of drought. A characteristic of the family is the often noisy congregations. These are often associated with courtship displays of elaborate dancing, which may involve single birds or groups; dances are also used to distract predators from the young or nests. The vocalisation, usually a loud bugling or trumpeting uttered at either dawn or dusk, is through the use of a convoluted tracheal arrangement. Their trachea is elongate, partially coiled and penetrates the sternum, in some species the trachea is fused with the sternum, allowing the bugling to carry for a considerable distance.

The Australian species frequent open wetlands and grasslands, feeding opportunistically by alternating the diet according to food availability. They are omnivores, feeding on small rodents, fish, amphibians, snakes, terrestrial invertebrates, crustaceans, grain, berries, and tubers.

Courtship is initiated by the pair conducting their spectacular dance often in association with other pairs, pairing is generally permanent amongst the family. The paired birds then select a nest site, which is on the ground in shallow water surrounded by protective plants, and isolated from other nest sites. Both adults construct the large nest — a flat platform nest of weeds and rushes. Each clutch contains two long-oval eggs that are off white or pale cream base colour and sometimes faintly blotched cream or buff overall. Both adults incubate the eggs alternately, the incubation lasting between 28 and 36 days.

The young, upon hatching, are both nidicolous and precocial, being covered by a tawny or grey down. Again both adults care for the young, which may leave the nest within a few days of hatching. The family group remains together for nine months until the next breeding season when the adults drive off the young.

General References

Archibald, G. & Meine, C. 1996. Family Gruidae (Cranes). pp. 60-81 in del Hoyo, J. Elliott, A. & Saragatal, J. Handbook of the Birds of the World. Barcelona : Lynx Edicions Vol. 3.

Campbell, B. & Lack, E. (eds) 1985. A Dictionary of Birds. Calton : T. & A.D. Poyser xxx 670 pp.

Christidis, L. & Boles, W.E. 2008. Systematics and Taxonomy of Australian Birds. Melbourne : CSIRO Publishing 288 pp.

History of changes