Anthropoides virgo
Class: Birds
Order: Gruiformes
Family: Gruidae
Length: 90cm
Weight: 2 to 3kg
Longevity: 20 years
Habitat:
We nest in meadows near watercourses and wetlands. Our population is distributed in Eastern Europe, crossing all of Central Asia to Eastern China, but also in Morocco and Turkey.
Diet:
We feed mainly on plants and seeds, but also on insects, worms, lizards and other small vertebrates.
Particularities:
In winter, we migrate to Africa, India and Pakistan.
Reproduction:
We reproduce in spring (April - May). The female usually lays 2 eggs on the ground (sometimes on branches and vegetation). Incubation lasts 28 days on average.
Threats:
The degradation and disappearance of our habitat constitute a threat to our populations, whether in our biotope itself or on the migratory "routes" that we use in winter. Human presence also constitutes a danger, for example through the intensive use of pesticides.
Status:
We are protected by laws in some countries and our trade is regulated by CITES (II).