Blue crane (Anthropoides paradisea)

The Blue crane is a large crane, a light blue-grey all over except for a pale crown and the black tertial feathers on the wings, which gives the bird the appearance of a black, drooping tail.

There are approximately 25 000 birds in South Africa, and they are restricted to the grassland biome. The majority, ± 50%, of Blue cranes occur in the Western Cape. Some Blue crane populations are strongly migratory, like the KZN and E Cape populations, however the Western Cape birds are resident and this is therefore the prime place to see these birds year-round. The R319 between Bredasdorp and Swellendam is the best area to see Blue cranes

The Blue crane has been listed as Vulnerable.

Directions

Swellendam is located to the east of Cape Town, approximately 2 hours drive along the N2. From Swellendam take the N2 west towards Caledon / Cape Town for 14 km's before turning onto the R319 that heads south-west towards Bredasdorp. Take a slow drive for the 70-odd km drive between the two towns, looking out for individuals or flocks of Blue crane.

GPS Coordinates

Location	Latitude	Longitude
Swellendam	34°01'45.91"S	20°26'34.00"E
N2/ R319 intersection	34°06'27.75"S	20°21'03.01"E
Bredasdorp	34°31'55.82"S	20°02'34.21"E