The Brolga is a bird in the crane family. When first described in 1810, the Brolga was misclassified as Ardea, the genus that includes the herons and egrets. It is in fact a member of the Gruiformes; the order that includes the crakes, rails, and cranes, and as a member of the genus Grus. The bird was then given the name Australian crane in 1865 by John Gould. In 1926 the Royal Australasian Ornithologists Union managed to make Brolga, a popular name derived from a native tongue, the official name of the bird. It is a common wetland congregating bird species in tropical and eastern Australia, well known for its intricate mating dance. (more...)
