Sightings
This page is an archive of interesting sighting reports for Brolgas and Sarus Cranes, co-ordinates are given for the first mention of a location on this page. Readers are welcome to contact us with reports and join a sightings database, check the links below for contact details and current sightings.
Recent Ozcranes reports of short-term interest are on the News page».
Databases and Sites
- Birds Australia Ongoing Atlas Project – major Australia-wide database project, continuing volunteer input: some data available to public, more available to Birds Australia members and Atlassers
- Eremaea Birds with moderated sighting reports from Australian states and regions
- Birds Queensland Sightings Database – regular reports on-line, ongoing work to amalgamate several Queensland data sources
- BIRD (Southwest Biodiversity Network) reports results of Brolga nest and flocking counts in SW Victoria
- Birding-aus archives – free mailing list about all Australian birds, searchable archive
- Cairns Bird News – current bird news from Cairns area north Queensland: start of season, end of season, unusual sightings
2008
Gulf Country 2 February, 1 Sarus at -18 30 05.4S, 140 41 42.3E, 92km N of Burketown and close to south-western limit of range
Townsville 2 June, 18 Brolgas at Townsville Town Common; 13 July, 2 immature Sarus at same location, rare sighting. 19 October, 200 Brolgas at Cromarty-Reed Beds Rd.
Outer Tableland Last week of January, no cranes of either species at Innot Hot Springs (General Swamp) or Mt Garnet (Wurruma Swamp); 5 October, 2 Brolgas at Maryfarms near Mt Molloy, first sighting for 14 years.
2007
Tableland January 5, 1 Brolga at Hasties Swamp and Jan 8, 9 Sarus at same location; 3 Sarus at Chewko. March 31 - April 4, 10 Sarus near Malanda and Yungaburra. July: very large flocks of both species at Bromfield Swamp and up to 50 at smaller roosts.
Lakeland Downs 13 October, 6 Sarus and 30 Brolgas in maize stubble on the Laura Rd -15 51 50.3, 144 50 20.6.
2006 – Sarus Triplets?
← Rare Sarus Crane triplets with adult pair December 1998, Etawah, Uttar Pradesh, India (K.S. Gopi Sundar)
Sarus Cranes may lay 1 to 4 eggs, usually 2. In both India and Australia, twins are reasonably common in good seasons but triplets are very rare. In ‘Forktail’ 22, 2006 K.S. Gopi Sundar reports on two cases of Sarus pairs fledging triplets in India.
First triplets for Australia? At 0800h on 3 July, north Queensland ornithologist Glenn Holmes watched a close-knit group of 5 Sarus feeding about 100m apart from all other cranes present near the Bromfield Swamp viewing platform (−17.37369 145.543888). They gradually moved closer, uphill towards the platform, and despite mist he was able to observe the birds closely. The group consisted of 2 adults and 3 same-size immatures with similar plumage and skin colouring. Based on the appearance and behaviour of the group, it is very possible this is the first report of Sarus triplets for Australia. Even if adoption is involved the pair is still, apparently, raising 3 similar age young. So far, searches have failed to locate them again but most roosts still have no settled core group of birds and searches will continue. John Grant reports a number of Sarus pairs with twins.
TOP2006 – More reports
Tableland 6 January, in paddocks near Bromfield Swamp: 30 immatures (about half Brolgas, half Sarus), feeding on pasture and fallow (maize and barley harvested July-Aug 2005). Early January, groups of 8-10 adult Sarus feeding on pasture or ploughed land near Kairi (−17.2 145.533) and at dusk, 73 roosted at two locations nearby on Lake Tinaroo (last record, 11 Jan).
Gulf Region In January-February the area was still very dry and travellers near Normanton and Karumba reported few cranes of either species (several groups of 3). After the cyclonic rains of March-April 2006, surveys during May found 70 Sarus in accessible areas including only 3 pairs with one juvenile each. On 2 May, on Karumba Plain, 35-40 Brolgas and 6 adult Sarus were sighted from the main road. One Brolga pair had a non-flying juvenile. A single Sarus was at Durham Dam near Georgetown (−18.233 143.333) on 3 May.
Tableland The Dry Season and the Cranes slow to return. On 15 May, 30 unidentified cranes flying very high near Innot Hot Springs (−17.667 145.267) and none at usual sites near Ravenshoe (−17.6 145.483). At Bromfield Swamp near Malanda: 0800h on 22 May, no cranes; 28 May, seven (3 Sarus, 2 Brolga, 2 unidentified); 29 May: 25 Sarus. By 5 July, about 350 including approx. 180 Sarus. Quincan Swamp: 5 Brolgas and 7 Sarus on 28 May. Other roosts: late July-early August, only a few cranes reported roosting intermittently. Feeding grounds: few active (minimal maize harvest).
→ Brolgas feeding near Camooweal, August 2006. Lake Francis filled after prolonged drought (Bob Forsyth)
Gulf Region & Western Qld 7 July, five Brolgas feeding on sandbanks with a receding tide, about 200m offshore from Sweers Island (−17.1 139.617). 4 August, 100 Brolgas feeding at Lake Francis (recently filled after prolonged drought) .5 km from Camooweal (−19.917 138.517).
Cape York Peninsula Birds Australia investigating a report of Sarus near the northern tip of the Cape, an extension of the known range.
2005
Cape York Peninsula Between 30 July and 1 August, Sarus Cranes were recorded in pairs at separate waterholes along about 20km of the mainly dry Laura River – totalling about 12 pairs. One pair roosted at an earth tank dam about 3km from the river, and flew out to feed elsewhere in the mornings. No immatures were seen and no Brolgas, although a flock of four unidentified cranes flew over once. Cranes were looked for each day, between 07.00 and 17.00.
Western Queensland Unusual winter rains in the Central West brought a flock of 40 Brolgas to Longreach (−23.4 144.217) in July, about 100 to Camooweal on the Georgina River, and more at Lake Nash (−20.95 137.917) across the Northern Territory border.
Tableland Brolgas were first to arrive back on the Atherton Tableland for the Dry (flocking, or non-breeding) Season, with 50 near Ravenshoe in March. Nine Sarus were spotted with 150 Brolgas near Ravenshoe on 23 April and both species appeared in paddocks near Bromfield Swamp in the first week of May. On 15 July 2005, 860 cranes (mainly Sarus) flew into Bromfield Swamp between 17.00 and 18.30.
2004
Tableland Most cranes had left the Atherton Tableland by late 2004, with the onset of the Wet (breeding) Season. At Kaban (−17.53475 145.402194) about 50 Brolgas and one Sarus Crane, mostly immatures, were feeding in paddocks on December 16. The last sighting was of 10 immature Sarus near Bromfield Swamp on December 27, feeding on tilled ground between young sorghum plants.
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