Wattled Crane
Bugeranus carunculatus
Silhouette: Mathieu Pélissié · PhyloPic
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Chordates)
- ClassAves (Birds)
- OrderGruiformes (Cranes, Rails, and Allies)
- FamilyGruidae (Cranes)
- GenusBugeranus
- SpeciesBugeranus carunculatus (Wattled Crane)
About the Wattled Crane
The wattled crane (Grus carunculata) is a large, threatened species of crane found in wetlands and grasslands of eastern and southern Africa, ranging from Ethiopia to South Africa. Some authorities consider it the sole member of the genus Bugeranus.
The first formal description of the wattled crane was by the German naturalist Johann Friedrich Gmelin in 1789 under the binomial name Ardea carunculata. Gmelin based his account on the "wattled heron" that had been described and illustrated by the English ornithologist John Latham in 1785. The specific epithet is from the Latin caruncula meaning "a small piece of flesh".
The wattled crane was formerly placed in its own genus Bugeranus. A molecular phylogenetic study published in 2010 found that the genus Grus within the crane family was not monophyletic and that the wattled crane was a sister species to a clade containing the blue crane and the demoiselle crane. In the resulting reorganization of the genera, the wattled crane was moved to the genus Grus. Some taxonomists retain the wattled crane within Bugeranus. The wattled crane is monotypic: there are no recognised subspecies.
At a height known to range... Wikipedia →
Recent sightings of Wattled Crane in Chobe National Park
LIVEiNaturalistClosest Relatives at Chobe National Park
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Black Crake
Amaurornis flavirostra
Western Swamphen
Porphyrio porphyrio
Common Moorhen
Gallinula chloropus
Allen's Gallinule
Porphyrio alleni
African Crake
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Baillon's Crake
Porzana pusilla
Global Distribution
Warmer areas are where this animal is recorded most often.
Parks Where Found
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Moremi Game Reserve | 🇧🇼 Botswana | |
| 2 | Kafue National Park | 🇿🇲 Zambia | |
| 3 | Bale Mountains National Park | 🇪🇹 Ethiopia | |
| 4 | Chobe National Park | 🇧🇼 Botswana | |
| 5 | Etosha National Park | 🇳🇦 Namibia | |
| 6 | Liwonde National Park | 🇲🇼 Malawi | |
| 7 | Hwange National Park | 🇿🇼 Zimbabwe | |
| 8 | South Luangwa National Park | 🇿🇲 Zambia | |
| 9 | Kruger National Park | 🇿🇦 South Africa |
Quick answers
What are the chances of seeing a Wattled Crane in Chobe National Park?
Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Wattled Crane sighting in Chobe National Park, based on 28 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.
When is the best time to see Wattled Crane in Chobe National Park?
June has the highest sighting rate for Wattled Crane in Chobe National Park in our monthly data.