Grus virgo

Taxonomy

Assessment Information

Geographic Range

Habitat and Ecology

Threats

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Taxonomy [top]

Kingdom	Phylum	Class	Order	Family
ANIMALIA	CHORDATA	AVES	GRUIFORMES	GRUIDAE

Scientific Name:

Grus virgo

Species Authority:

(Linnaeus, 1758)

Common Name/s:

English	–	Demoiselle Crane
French	–	Grue demoiselle

Assessment Information [top]

Red List Category & Criteria:

Least Concern ver 3.1

Year Published:

2009

Assessor/s:

BirdLife International

Reviewer/s:

Bird, J., Butchart, S.

Justification:
This species has an extremely large range, and hence does not approach the thresholds for Vulnerable under the range size criterion (Extent of Occurrence <20,000 km2 combined with a declining or fluctuating range size, habitat extent/quality, or population size and a small number of locations or severe fragmentation). The population trend appears to be increasing, and hence the species does not approach the thresholds for Vulnerable under the population trend criterion (>30% decline over ten years or three generations). The population size is very large, and hence does not approach the thresholds for Vulnerable under the population size criterion (<10,000 mature individuals with a continuing decline estimated to be >10% in ten years or three generations, or with a specified population structure). For these reasons the species is evaluated as Least Concern.

History:

2008	–	Least Concern
2004	–	Least Concern
1988	–	Near Threatened

Geographic Range [top]

Countries:	Native: Afghanistan; Armenia; Azerbaijan; Bangladesh; Bhutan; Chad; China; Cyprus; Egypt; Ethiopia; India; Iran, Islamic Republic of; Iraq; Israel; Kazakhstan; Kyrgyzstan; Lebanon; Moldova; Mongolia; Myanmar; Namibia; Nepal; Nigeria; Oman; Pakistan; Russian Federation; Russian Federation; Russian Federation; Saudi Arabia; Slovakia; Sudan; Tajikistan; Turkey; Turkmenistan; Ukraine; Uzbekistan; Yemen Vagrant: Bulgaria; Croatia; Denmark; Eritrea; Finland; Germany; Greece; Hungary; Italy; Japan; Jordan; Kenya; Korea, Republic of; Kuwait; Malta; Montenegro; Norway; Portugal; Romania; Serbia; Spain; Sweden; Syrian Arab Republic; United Arab Emirates
Range Map:	Click here to open the map viewer and explore range.

Countries:

Native:

Afghanistan; Armenia; Azerbaijan; Bangladesh; Bhutan; Chad; China; Cyprus; Egypt; Ethiopia; India; Iran, Islamic Republic of; Iraq; Israel; Kazakhstan; Kyrgyzstan; Lebanon; Moldova; Mongolia; Myanmar; Namibia; Nepal; Nigeria; Oman; Pakistan; Russian Federation; Russian Federation; Russian Federation; Saudi Arabia; Slovakia; Sudan; Tajikistan; Turkey; Turkmenistan; Ukraine; Uzbekistan; Yemen

Vagrant:

Bulgaria; Croatia; Denmark; Eritrea; Finland; Germany; Greece; Hungary; Italy; Japan; Jordan; Kenya; Korea, Republic of; Kuwait; Malta; Montenegro; Norway; Portugal; Romania; Serbia; Spain; Sweden; Syrian Arab Republic; United Arab Emirates

Range Map:

Click here to open the map viewer and explore range.

Habitat and Ecology [top]

Habitat and Ecology:	Behaviour This species is fully migratory¹. It migrates on a narrow front via specific routes², and may travel vast distances without alighting to rest or feed⁵. The Autumn migration begins in late summer³ (August-September), with the species returning in flocks from its wintering areas to breed in March and April (sometimes as late as early-June in the north)^{1, 2}. On arrival in the breeding grounds the species remains gregarious for a few weeks, before becoming more territorial and eventually nesting in solitary pairs (although the species may still forage in small groups of c.7 individuals during the breeding season)². After breeding (from mid-August)⁶ migratory flocks as large as 400 individuals begin to form², and on arrival in its wintering grounds the species often aggregates into huge flocks of up to several thousands or tens-of-thousands^{2, 5}. Habitat In both its breeding and wintering ranges this species shows a preference for grassland habitats in close proximity to streams, shallow lakes and other wetlands, also frequenting desert areas where water is available^{1, 2, 3, 4}. Breeding In its breeding range the species occurs from sea-level up to 3000 m^{2, 4}, inhabiting grassy steppes of feather grass Stipa and fescue Festuca, and dry areas dominated by wormwood Artemisia², the essential habitat requirement being access to water (e.g. rivers, streams or wells) for drinking². It can be found on hilly steppes along wide river valleys², shrubby steppes and semi-desert², forest edge habitats (e.g. meadows)², and occasionally unvegetated alkaline flats, or large expanses of rock or gravel². It will often forage in damp marshes and swamps², and is regularly found in cultivated areas². Non-breeding In Africa the species inhabits dry Acacia savanna, grassland, grassy river margins^{1, 2} and semi-desert (where water is available)², but in India a wider range of habitat types are used, including marshes, freshwater lakes, rivers⁵, cultivated fields and rice stubble^{1, 2}, sandy riverbeds, the flat and open margins of seasonal pans and farm ponds², and hot desert (if water is readily available)^{1, 2, 3, 4}. It often roosts in shallow water or on sandbars and mudflats surrounded by water^{1, 2, 5}. Diet The diet of this species consists mainly of plant material⁶ (such as grass seeds)^{1, 2, 5}, although lizards and small invertebrates such as large insects (especially beetles) and worms^{1, 2, 5} are also taken during the summer⁶. The species will forage in cultivated fields², feeding on ripening cereal crops in its breeding grounds², peanuts, beans and other crops on migration³, and wheat, chickpeas, alfalfa² and lucerne⁶ in India^{2, 6}. Breeding site The nest is a shallow scrape^{5, 6} (although often no attempt is made to find or construct a cavity)²on dry ground, lined or surrounded by pebbles and plant materials (eggs may be laid directly onto the ground)¹. The nest may be placed on gravel¹ in areas partially or entirely free of vegetation², or in open patches of grass and cultivation, usually less than 1-2 km away from a source of water^{2, 5}. Nests are rarely positioned closer than 200-300 m apart².
Systems:	Terrestrial; Freshwater

Habitat and Ecology:

Behaviour This species is fully migratory¹. It migrates on a narrow front via specific routes², and may travel vast distances without alighting to rest or feed⁵. The Autumn migration begins in late summer³ (August-September), with the species returning in flocks from its wintering areas to breed in March and April (sometimes as late as early-June in the north)^{1, 2}. On arrival in the breeding grounds the species remains gregarious for a few weeks, before becoming more territorial and eventually nesting in solitary pairs (although the species may still forage in small groups of c.7 individuals during the breeding season)². After breeding (from mid-August)⁶ migratory flocks as large as 400 individuals begin to form², and on arrival in its wintering grounds the species often aggregates into huge flocks of up to several thousands or tens-of-thousands^{2, 5}. Habitat In both its breeding and wintering ranges this species shows a preference for grassland habitats in close proximity to streams, shallow lakes and other wetlands, also frequenting desert areas where water is available^{1, 2, 3, 4}. Breeding In its breeding range the species occurs from sea-level up to 3000 m^{2, 4}, inhabiting grassy steppes of feather grass Stipa and fescue Festuca, and dry areas dominated by wormwood Artemisia², the essential habitat requirement being access to water (e.g. rivers, streams or wells) for drinking². It can be found on hilly steppes along wide river valleys², shrubby steppes and semi-desert², forest edge habitats (e.g. meadows)², and occasionally unvegetated alkaline flats, or large expanses of rock or gravel². It will often forage in damp marshes and swamps², and is regularly found in cultivated areas². Non-breeding In Africa the species inhabits dry Acacia savanna, grassland, grassy river margins^{1, 2} and semi-desert (where water is available)², but in India a wider range of habitat types are used, including marshes, freshwater lakes, rivers⁵, cultivated fields and rice stubble^{1, 2}, sandy riverbeds, the flat and open margins of seasonal pans and farm ponds², and hot desert (if water is readily available)^{1, 2, 3, 4}. It often roosts in shallow water or on sandbars and mudflats surrounded by water^{1, 2, 5}. Diet The diet of this species consists mainly of plant material⁶ (such as grass seeds)^{1, 2, 5}, although lizards and small invertebrates such as large insects (especially beetles) and worms^{1, 2, 5} are also taken during the summer⁶. The species will forage in cultivated fields², feeding on ripening cereal crops in its breeding grounds², peanuts, beans and other crops on migration³, and wheat, chickpeas, alfalfa² and lucerne⁶ in India^{2, 6}. Breeding site The nest is a shallow scrape^{5, 6} (although often no attempt is made to find or construct a cavity)²on dry ground, lined or surrounded by pebbles and plant materials (eggs may be laid directly onto the ground)¹. The nest may be placed on gravel¹ in areas partially or entirely free of vegetation², or in open patches of grass and cultivation, usually less than 1-2 km away from a source of water^{2, 5}. Nests are rarely positioned closer than 200-300 m apart².

Systems:

Terrestrial; Freshwater

Threats [top]

Major Threat(s):	Habitat loss and degradation from agriculture (e.g. agricultural conversion of steppe grassland^{1, 4}, intensification of agricultural methods and changes in agricultural practices such as increased spring ploughing)³ is the primary threat to this species throughout its range. Other threats include disturbance due to rising human populations⁴, intensive use of pesticides^{1, 3, 4}, hunting for sport (along the migration route in Afghanistan and Pakistan)³, and shooting and intentional poisoning in some areas where crop damage occurs^{1, 3, 4}. Many migratory habitats have also been lost through the building of dams and the drainage of wetlands³, and the breeding population in Morocco is threatened by over-grazing and mining³.

Major Threat(s):

Habitat loss and degradation from agriculture (e.g. agricultural conversion of steppe grassland^{1, 4}, intensification of agricultural methods and changes in agricultural practices such as increased spring ploughing)³ is the primary threat to this species throughout its range. Other threats include disturbance due to rising human populations⁴, intensive use of pesticides^{1, 3, 4}, hunting for sport (along the migration route in Afghanistan and Pakistan)³, and shooting and intentional poisoning in some areas where crop damage occurs^{1, 3, 4}. Many migratory habitats have also been lost through the building of dams and the drainage of wetlands³, and the breeding population in Morocco is threatened by over-grazing and mining³.

Citation:	BirdLife International 2009. Grus virgo. In: IUCN 2011. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2011.2. <www.iucnredlist.org>. Downloaded on 24 May 2012.
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