Appearance:

Unmistakable. Dark green (appears black at a distance) above and white below. Wings also dark above and white below, with diagnostic rounded and broad tips. Squarish head profile with striking crest. Winter and juvenile plumage with scaled back, and less contrasting breast band.

Sound:

Quite vocal, especially in flight at breeding ground. Territorial call: Dry, introductory phrases followed by drawn-out mewing sounds; "wyrrr-peeeoo-weeep". Alarm call "pee-wit".

Flight call:

Distribution:

Wikipedia: map (se also Xeno-canto below)

Ecology:

Birdlife ecology

Links:

Observation.org Latest observations

Video IBC

Image search Flickr NB! May give other species

Sound search at Xeno-canto

Featherbase

CC

Appearance:

Smaller and more delicate than Crane. Front of neck and chest black, with long plumes. Immatures show only faint black markings on neck and head. Upper wing lacks pale patch close to alula, and show little contrast between secondary and primary coverts. Easily mistaken for Crane in flight if black chest is not visible. Identification by call then helpful. Wing beats significantly faster than in Crane.

Sound:

Recalls Crane but timbre very dry, almost rasping and pitch higher.

Call:

Distribution:

Xeno-canto: map

Ecology:

Birdlife ecology

Links:

Observation.org Latest observations

Video IBC

Image search Flickr NB! May give other species

Sound search at Xeno-canto

CC

CC-sound:Oscar Campbell, Licence,Link.

CC-photo:yann coatanéa, Licence,Link.