Brolga

Antigone rubicunda

Brolga (Antigone rubicunda) — Cranes & Rails of Australia & Oceania.

Field guide · LocationsWhere to see this bird

Found across 8 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.

Regional checklists

Birds of Australia Birds of Indonesia Birds of New South Wales Birds of Northern Territory Birds of Queensland Birds of South Australia Birds of Victoria Birds of Western Australia

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The Brolga (Antigone rubicunda) is a member of the Gruidae family found in Australia & Oceania. Adults weigh 6.2 kg.

Where it fits

Class Aves
Order Gruiformes
Family Gruidae Cranes
Genus Antigone
Species rubicunda

Where it lives

Trans-Fly (south-central New Guinea) and northern, central, eastern Australia

Australia & Oceania

Quick facts

Weight: 6.2 kg
Diet: Omnivores
Family: Gruidae
Order: Gruiformes
Habitat: Wetland, lake & coast

How to identify

Similar birds

Vulnerable

Biology & behaviour

Diet

The Brolga is a omnivore — it takes a broad, omnivorous diet of both plant and animal foods.

Behaviour

A bird of wetlands, it forages mainly on the ground.

Migration

The Brolga is partially migratory: some populations move with the seasons while others stay resident year-round.

The Brolga (Antigone rubicunda) is a member of the Gruidae family, within the order Gruiformes. It is found across Australia & Oceania. Its distribution covers AU Trans-Fly (sc New Guinea) and n, c, e Australia.

It is a very large bird. Adults weighs around 6.2 kg, with a wing length of about 57.3 cm and a tail of around 22.4 cm.

The species has a mapped global range of roughly 3.6 million km².

Songs & calls

Brolga — Call, duet

Recorded by James Lambert Licence: CC BY-NC-ND 4.0

Frequently asked questions

How big is the Brolga?

The Brolga is a very large bird that weighs around 6.2 kg.

Where does the Brolga live?

The Brolga is found across Australia & Oceania with a range covering AU Trans-Fly (sc New Guinea) and n, c, e Australia, where it is associated with wetlands, lakes and other open water.

What family does the Brolga belong to?

The Brolga (Antigone rubicunda) belongs to the Gruidae family, in the order Gruiformes.

What does the Brolga eat?

The Brolga is a omnivore — it takes a broad, omnivorous diet of both plant and animal foods.

Does the Brolga migrate?

The Brolga is partially migratory: some populations move with the seasons while others stay resident year-round.

What sound does the Brolga make?

1 real field recording of the Brolga — including its call — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.

How large is the Brolga's range?

The Brolga has a mapped global range of about 3.6 million km².