The photographed juvenile White-Naped Crane is three months old. It was born between 8-10 May 2022.
The White-Naped Crane (Antigone vipio) is a large wetlands bird. It is native to Asia, in Mongolia, China and Russia. The adult measures about 130 centimetres (51 inches) tall, with a large wingspan of 2 metres (6.5 feet). The young (juvenile) White-Naped Crane looks very different from its parents.
The juvenile White-Naped Crane has pale-brown and white feathers. The adult White-Naped Crane has a grey and white striped neck and a grey to black body. It takes 2-3 years for the juvenile to gain its adult feathers.
The juvenile White-Naped Crane has a medium-sized brownish-pink beak, whereas the adult has a large beige beak which is black towards the face.
The chicks are precocial, which means that they can run as soon as they hatch. They get their flying feathers within 56–100 days. The photographed juvenile has its flying feathers.
Location of photographs: Paris Zoo, France
Photographer: Martina Nicolls
Martina Nicolls: SIMILAR BUT DIFFERENT IN THE ANIMAL KINGDOM