The order Gruiformes, meaning “crane-like” in Latin, includes rails, cranes and bustards and their variations. Their plumage is generally brown or grey. General traits include long necks, legs and beaks. However, birds in this class are very diverse in both geography and morphology. Many traits can vary greatly - for example, some live near water while others are adapted to land. Others have the ability to fly, while some are flightless. Gruiformes can also range from being as small as 15 cm (black rail) to 5 feet (sarus crane). |