Sarus Cranes - Amazing Birds of India

In all the years I have been photographing wildlife, I have never been more enthralled than when photographing the rather majestic Sarus Cranes! These majestic birds move around in pairs or with their offspring. What would I not do to get a few good shots of these birds! They are amazing birds that follow amazing courtship rituals. They sing together, fly together, and groom their feathers together.

It is no doubt always a challenge to photograph these majestic birds, more often because the weather is mostly bad with all that smog and fog and haze, and of course, these are rather private birds who like their privacy more than posing for the shutterbugs. The lack of freshwater marshes and wetlands has driven these birds away from the more accessible spots on foot for many photographers. Also, the increased human activity in the outskirts of most urban areas has driven away these birds. Earlier it was possible to spot these birds at what used to be a vibrant wetland known as the Basai Wetland but is now a major construction site!

Sarus Cranes are also known to be the largest flying birds in the world. the same is true for their western cousins, the Sandhill Cranes. These elegant birds stand tall, they have regal scarlet crests on their heads and scarlet collars around their necks. They are a royal sight for those lucky enough to spot them, let alone photograph them!

The male Sarus Crane stands a couple of inches taller than the female partner and is more alert and aggressive, often deciding when to make an aggressive move, a warning trumpet, or a flight into a safer spot.

I photographed this pair of cranes at the Sultanpur National Park today, right at the end of the winter season. It was a clear and bright day with a little bit of haze. I photographed the same pair of Sarus Cranes during the winter season when it was foggy and dark. The photographs I have posted below were taken in December 2023.

Last, I would like to write about how these majestic birds are known for being faithful to each other. They are known to be symbols of faithfulness and integrity. A large number of Hindi poems have been written about these birds. Perhaps, we need to recognize them as National birds of the country. And, yes, Sarus Cranes do fly!