crane
(plural: ‘cranes‘; pronunciation: the letter ‘c’ is said with a ‘k’ sound as in “king” — for the right pronunciation, please click here)
a pair of common cranes
a kind of water bird – wading bird (= walks in the shallow waters to find food) – large, long-necked bird with a pair of long thin legs; usually white or ash colour feathers with different marking for different species (kinds); on average, grows to 3 feet tall and weighs 5 Kg.; feeds on small rodents, fish, frogs, insects, water plants, grain and fruit; lives for 20-30 years; 15 living species (kinds) found all over the world, except Antarctica and South America
cranes pair for life
female ~~ female; hen
baby ~~ chick; colt; craneling
group ~~ herd, sedge, siege (cohort)
voice (call) ~~ {no particular name} (to) clang, purr, trumpet (in some species)
home ~~ (man-made) pen
a sedge of cranes on its migration
The ‘red-crowned crane’ is the national bird of China;
the ‘grey-crowned crane’, Tanzania, Rwanda and Uganda;
the ‘black-crowned crane’, Nigeria;
the ‘blue crane’, South Africa;
and the ‘black-necked crane’ is the state bird of Jammu & Kashmir, Indian.
Most kinds of cranes are migratory birds, i.e. they go from their resident place to a different place, some times to very far away places, when the seasons (weather conditions) change.
sarus cranes
Cranes are majestic birds; their mating dance is very graceful, and is popular with the masses and the poets alike.
Cranes are hunted for food and sport. [people shoot them with guns for fun]
Cranes are considered auspicious, the symbol of long life and happiness, in China, Korea, Japan and Vietnam; and in India, they are regarded as omens for good crop! In addition, these birds are mentioned in the scriptures and greatly respected by the ancient civilisations.
The sarus crane is the world’s tallest flying bird – males standing at six feet tall – and it is the only species (kind) that lives and breeds in India.
(a mechanical crane)
1. crane (noun) =
(a)
a tall structure (a machine) which is used to lift heavy things at building construction sites
(b) a device with a movable (swinging) arm as in a fireplace for hanging a pot
(c) a small constellation in the southern hemisphere (‘constellation’ = an imaginary shape formed from a group of stars in the sky)
2. to crane (verb) =
(a) to move or lift things up with a machine (a crane) [to crane at]
(b) to strain or stretch one’s neck to have a better look at something
(c) to be uncertain when faced with a difficulty; hesitate
3. crane-gutted = very thin
4. to have a gut like a crane = to be very thirsty
5. would steal the egg from the crane and finally the crane herself [said of a person totally not caring about honesty and fairness; of a person who cheats anybody or does any sort of dishonest thing to get what he/she wants]
Return to “whooping crane“. If directed from Words Often Confused, back to “crane ~ crane“.
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