Adult Crane Description:
The forehead, area in front of the eyes, and crown are bare, featuring a red skin patch with sparse, short black hair. The head and upper neck are black. A small white spot is present behind the eyes. The lower neck has feathers that cover the wing base. The upper tail feathers and the general body plumage are very pale gray. The barbs of the inner vanes of the larger wing coverts are pale grayish-brown. Flight feathers are black, with elongated tertiary feathers forming ornamental plumes. The eyes are yellow. The beak is grayish-black or greenish, with a pale yellow tip. The legs are black.
Measurements:
- Wing: 625 – 668 mm
- Tail: 234 – 247 mm
- Tarsus (leg): 223 – 252 mm
- Beak: 124 – 137 mm
Distribution:
The Gray Crane (likely a reference to the species) is distributed in Mongolia and China. In winter, it migrates southward. In Vietnam, Gray Cranes are typically encountered in the Red River Delta and North Central regions during the winter.