To cement a new partnership, Brolgas will regularly perform a dramatic and full-bodied dance of love.
Description: The Brolga is a long legged bird with a silvery-grey body. The undersides of the wingtips are black or dark brown and part of the head and neck are scarlet. The Brolga stands up to 140 cm tall. Females are slightly smaller than the males.
Diet: Brolgas are omnivores and eat sedge tubers, insects and aquatic invertebrates.
In the wild: Breeding pairs bond for life. They engage in dramatic displays involving leaps, head shaking and loud trumpeting. These dances may help to strengthen the bond between males and females outside the breeding season. When the young hatch, they are taken care of by both partners and remain with their parents for a year or more.
Threats: Habitat destruction due to the filling in of swamps and wetlands is a threat to their survival.
Did you Know?
An Aboriginal legend says the Brolga was once a famous dancer named Buralga.