CRANES AND RAILS 
Cranes, rails and related birds are widely distributed, inhabiting plains, 
marshes and swamps the world over. Individuals like the broad-toed coots 
are adapted for aquatic life, while others, such as bustards and kagus, are 
land birds. The group includes the roatelos and monias of Madagascar; 
the bustard-quail and hemipodes of the Old World; the cranes, found every¬ 
where except in South America; the limpkins of both Americas; the trum¬ 
peters, confined to South America; the rails, coots and gallinules of all 
countries; the sun-grebes or fin-foots of the Old World and South America; 
the kagus of New Caledonia in the South Pacific; the sun-bitterns of Central 
and South America; the cariamas of South America; and the bustards of 
the Old World. 
Naturalists have had ample opportunity to observe the interesting 
habits of the members of this order. In the face of rising flood waters, for 
example, the monias of Madagascar often move their nests to higher ground 
where they will be safe. They are held sacred by the natives. 
Cranes are remarkable for their long, coiled windpipes, which run 
like the involved tubes of a French horn into their hollow keels. The loud 
trumpet-like calls issuing from those instruments are well known to hunters. 
The trumpeters of South America can maintain their call for a full minute. 
The South Sea kagus are known to toss sticks and stones like small 
hoys at play. 
Sun-bitterns when alarmed, and also during courtship, make a great 
display of their wings and tail. Kagus also exhibit this habit. 
Bustards, large birds growing to a length of four feet, were formerly 
abundant in Britain hut are now extinct in this part of their range. In 
limited numbers they are still found in southern Europe, North Africa and 
parts of Asia. 
Cranes: 
Little Brown Crane. 
Sandhill Cranes. 
Demoiselle Crane. 
Rails: 
Carolina Rail. 
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