Sarus Crane Berlin Zoo

If you are staying at any of the great hotels in Berlin, you are undoubtedly staying within walking distance of this zoo. It is located on the outskirts of the Tiergarten, the large park in the center of the city. The park itself is bigger than the country of Monaco.

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The Sarus Crane, Grus antigone is an all-year resident breeding bird in northern Pakistan and India (especially Central India and the Gangetic plains), Nepal, Southeast Asia and Queensland, Australia. It is a very large crane, averaging 156 cm (5 ft) in length, which is found in freshwater marshes and plains.

Adults are grey with a bare red head and white crown and a long dark pointed bill. In flight, the long neck is kept straight, unlike herons, and the black wing tips can be seen; their long red or pink legs trail behind them. The sexes do not differ in color, but young birds are duller and browner. On average the male is larger than the female; Indian males can attain a maximum height of approximately 200 cm (6.6 ft), with a wingspan of 250 cm (8.5 ft), making them the world's tallest living flying bird. The average weight is 6.3-7.3 kg (14-16 lbs), so they are lighter-weight than Red-crowned Cranes. Across the range, weight can vary from 5 to 12 kg (11-26 lbs), height typically from 115 to 167 cm (45-69 in) and the wingspan from 220 to 280 cm (87-110 in). Birds from Australia tend to be smaller than birds from the north.

What to expect at the Berlin zoo.

Thousands of great animals included in a well laid out zoo/aquarium setup. I was surprised by the size of the place. Not just a cage with one or two elephants but, apparently, a whole african savanah with a herd of elephants. Not just elephants, but giraffes, lions, gorillas, kangaroos, polar bears, tigers, emus and, even, a glimpse of (not one, but two) okapi.

from wikipedia

"The Berlin Zoological Garden (German: Zoologischer Garten Berlin) is the oldest and internationally most well known zoo in Germany. Opened in 1844 it comprises an area of 35 hectares and is located in Berlin, Tiergarten. With almost 1,400 different species and around 14,000 animals the zoo presents the most comprehensive collection of species in the world.

The zoo and its aquarium numbered 3.2 million visitors in 2007. It is considered to be the most visited zoo in Europe and one of the most popular worldwide. Regular animal feedings are among its most famous attractions. Several globally known animals like Knut, the polar bear or Bao Bao, the Giant Panda are contributing to the zoo's public image.

The zoo is closely collaborating on scientific fields with a large number of universities, research institutes, and other zoos around the world. It maintains and promotes numerous European breeding programmes and safeguards several endangered species. A number of species kept at the 'Berlin Zoo' are regularly returned to the wild after years in intensive human care."