A tall wattled crane with a white neck and gray wings standing on grass. — Photo: birdphotos.com, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Wattled Crane

Bugeranus carunculatus

A tall African wetland crane with flaps of skin hanging from its chin that shrink when it's nervous and lengthen when it's excited.

🪿 Wading Birds

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About the Wattled Crane

Wattled cranes live in south-central Africa, mostly on the wetlands and floodplains of the Zambezi and Okavango Rivers, with small groups in Ethiopia and South Africa. They stand 5 to 6 feet tall and weigh 15 to 20 pounds. Their wattles shrink when they're nervous and stretch longer when they're excited. They eat water plants, grain, seeds, insects, snails, fish and frogs.^[1]

Quick facts

Scientific name: Bugeranus carunculatus^[1]
Size: 5 to 6 feet tall.^[1]
Weight: 15 to 20 pounds.^[1]
Diet: Omnivore. Water plants, grain, seeds, insects, snails, fish and frogs.^[1]
Habitat: Wetlands and floodplains, plus nearby grasslands.^[1]
Where it lives: South-central Africa, with small populations in Ethiopia and South Africa.^[1]
Group life: Flocks of 50 or more outside the breeding season. Pairs mate for life.^[1]
Babies: Usually one egg, incubated a little over a month. Chicks fly at four to five months.^[1]
Conservation status: Vulnerable (IUCN Red List, assessed 2018).^[2]

Fun facts

A wattled crane's wattles shrink when it's nervous and lengthen when it's excited.^[1]
Wattled cranes lay the fewest eggs and sit on them longest of any crane.^[1]
Their courtship dances include bowing, tossing sticks and jumping.^[1]

Vocabulary

wattle: A flap of skin hanging from a bird's head or throat.
wetland: Land that is covered by shallow water some or all of the year, like a marsh or swamp.
floodplain: Flat land next to a river that floods during the rainy season.
incubation: Keeping eggs warm so the babies inside can grow and hatch.
vulnerable: A conservation label meaning a species faces a high risk of dying out in the wild.

See it in person

Zoo AtlantaAtlanta, Georgia · All AnimalsSee this animal on the zoo's website ↗

These zoos had this animal when we gathered our information, but animals sometimes move. Check the zoo's website or contact the zoo before you visit.

Sources

[1] Zoo Atlanta. “Wattled crane.” https://zooatlanta.org/animal/wattled-crane/ (accessed 2026-10-02)
[2] IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. “Bugeranus carunculatus (Wattled Crane).” https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/22692129/129880815 (accessed 2026-10-02)

Facts last checked 2026-10-02.

More Wading Birds

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Marabou StorkLeptoptilos crumeniferA huge, bald-headed African stork that feeds mostly on dead animals and often gathers near lakes, rivers, garbage dumps and fishing villages.Northern Bald IbisGeronticus eremitaA glossy black ibis with a bald red head, also called the waldrapp, that was once common in Europe and is now one of the world's rarest birds.Roseate SpoonbillPlatalea ajajaA bright pink wading bird of the Americas that sweeps its spoon-shaped bill through shallow water to catch food.Scarlet IbisEudocimus ruberA bright red wading bird of northern South America that feeds mostly on crayfish and small crabs.Snowy EgretEgretta thulaAn all-white heron of the Americas with a black bill and bright yellow feet, famous for its lacy breeding plumes.Straw-Necked IbisThreskiornis spinicollisAn Australian ibis with straw-like neck feathers and a shiny back, nicknamed the "farmer's friend" for eating grasshoppers.White StorkCiconia ciconiaA big white-and-black bird with a red bill that breeds in Europe, winters in Africa and inspired the story of storks delivering babies.White-Naped CraneGrus vipio (also called Antigone vipio)A tall gray-and-white crane of East Asian wetlands with a red face and pink legs, famous for its dancing.Yellow-Billed StorkMycteria ibisA tall white African stork with a bright yellow bill and red face that feels for fish and frogs in shallow water.