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Blue Cranes only pair with one mate (monogamous), and despite being very social animals are extremely territorial while breeding, driving any other Blue Cranes from the breeding territory. They nest in summer and the laying date can be anytime between August and April. Non-breeding birds form non-breeding flocks during this period. After the chicks have fledged, they together with the adults join the non-breeding flocks to form large over-wintering groups.

Blue Cranes mate for life and display a wonderful courtship dance during which the two birds jump up and down with their wings extended. The birds are mature at about three to five years of age. They usually lay two eggs with an incubation period of 30 to 33 days and both male and
female incubate the eggs. Chicks are fed on an initial diet of insect larvae and worms. The chicks are able to fly at about three to five months. The parents are very protective of their young and will guard them aggressively.

The Blue Crane is a near-endemic to South Africa with a small isolated population of about 60-80 birds found around the Etosha Pans in Namibia and a few isolated birds in Botswana and Swaziland. It is the most range-restricted of all the cranes in the world. That means it’s abundant in limited areas of its range, but is rare in most areas of South Africa.

Overberg Crane Group