Sarus Crane
Grus antigone (Linnaeus, 1758)
Photo © By Koshy Koshy from Faridabad, Haryana, India - SarusUploaded by jkadavoor, CC BY 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=26318478
STATUS
Northern India, Southeast Asia and northern Australia. Polytypic.
OVERVIEW
Species not admitted nationally (BOU 1971).
NOT PROVEN
0). 1908 Northumberland Beal and Fenham Flats, adult, seen, early October; same, Longhorsley, shot, later.
(W. Halliday, Field 23rd Jan., 1909: 157).
[F. B. Atkinson, Field 30th Jan., 1909: 198].
History W. Halliday of Holy Island (1909) in The Field of 23rd Jan., Vol. CXIII. p. 157, says: 'Early in October last a Crane was seen in the farm lands adjoining the coast at Beal. It was apparently seeking food on a stubble, and subsequently moved to the green patches of vegetation on the mudflats known as Fenham Stakes. It appeared to be in adult plumage, and stood about 6 ft. in height. It was afterwards seen among the sand hills on the golf links on Holy Island, and was pursued by some local gunners, but eventually got clear away.'
F. B. Atkinson of Gallowhill, Morpeth (1909) in The Field of 30th Jan., Vol. CXIII. p. 198, says: 'The Crane "about 6 ft. high", reported to have been seen on the golf links at Holy Island at the beginning of October last, was no doubt a tame Sarus Crane, which strayed from on Sept. 27. It was eventually shot at Longhorsley.'
