Male, 253/4, 41. Female, 25, 42. Young, 23.
Confined to the Everglades and central parts of Florida, where it is resident, but rather rare. Accidental on the Florida Keys.
Aramus scolopaceus, Bonap. Syn. p. 39.
Scolopaceous Courlan, Aramus scolopaceus, Bonap. Amer. Orn. v. iv. p. 111.
Scolopaceous Courlan, Aramus scolopaceus, Nutt. Man. v. ii. p. 68.
Scolopaceous Courlan, Aramus scolopaceus, Aud. Orn. Biog. v. iv. p. 543.
Bill about the length of the head, straight, depressed at the base, compressed toward the end, rather obtuse. Nostrils subbasal, lateral oblong. Head rather small, oblong; neck long; body large, compressed. Legs long and slender; tibia bare at the lower part; tarsus somewhat compressed, anteriorly scutellate; toes rather long, first short and somewhat elevated; claws obtuse. Plumage full and rather compact. Wings broad, convex, the inner secondaries elongated and decurved; tail short, rounded.
Bill longer than the head, straight, rather slender, but strong, compressed, obtusely pointed; upper mandible with the dorsal line nearly straight, a little concave at the middle, slightly declinate toward the tip, the ridge flat and rather broad as far as the middle, the sides sloping, towards the end convex; the nasal sinus narrow, bare, and extending to nearly two-thirds, the edges direct, thick; lower mandible with the angle narrow and very long, the sides perpendicular at the base, the edges thick, the tip narrow and obtuse. Nostrils subbasal, lateral, oblong, large, pervious. Head small, compressed; neck very long and slender; body very large, but compressed. Feet very long; tibia bare to a great extent; tarsus long, stout, moderately compressed, anteriorly covered with broad decurved scutella; toes stout, scutellate, of moderate length, marginate, the first very small and elevated, the fourth webbed at the base. Claws of moderate size, strong, considerably curved, rather compressed, blunted. Plumage imbricated; upper part of head bare. Wings ample, the second, third, and fourth longest, inner secondaries and their coverts curved downwards. Tail short, rounded, of twelve broad, rounded feathers.
315. 1. Grus Americana, Forster. Whooping Crane.—Sand-hill Crane. White Crane. Blue Crane. Brown Crane.
Plate CCXXVI. Male. Plate CCLXI. Young.
Adult with the bill dusky green, the feet black, the bare part of the head carmine, the plumage pure white, except the alula, primaries, and primary coverts, which are brownish-black. Young with the bill and feet brownish-black, the bare part of the head carmine, but less extended, the plumage bluish-grey, the feathers margined with yellowish-brown, chin and sides of head greyish-white, primary quills and coverts dark brown towards the end, with brownish-white shafts.