鶴形目 Gruiformes

鶴形目 Gruiformes，來自拉丁文的 grūs (鶴) 和拉丁文的 -fōrmis (形狀)，意思是「鶴形狀」，說明是這些動物是有鶴形狀的及跟鶴有關係。

Gruiformes, Latin grūs (“crane”) and Latin -fōrmis (“-shaped”), means “crane-like”, in reference to the fact that these animals are all crane-shaped and crane-related.

種的俗名 Common names of members

鶴、秧鶴、秧雞、鷉、侏秧雞。

Cranes, limpkins, rails, finfoots, flufftails.

分佈 Distribution

世界各地除了南極洲及其周邊的島嶼。

Worldwide except Antarctica and some oceanic islands.

體型 Size

某些物種長度可以到達176厘米。其他的長度範圍是12厘米到63厘米之間，體重是20克到3公斤。

Certain species can reach lengths of up to 176 cm. Others range in length from 12 to 63 cm and weight from 20 to 3,000 g.

形態 Morphology

最大的物種是外表光滑，有著巨大的圓形翅膀、長脖子和腿。最小的和中型的生活在地面上。許多是橫向壓縮的，有的頸部是很長。在物種裏的差異最大的特徵是喙，可以很大的、短的、寬的、或比自己的頭更長的。有一些是有正面防護罩的。

The largest species are sleek-looking birds with big, circular wings that have long necks and legs. The smallest and medium-sized live on the ground. Many of them are laterally compressed, and some have lengthy necks. The most erratic aspect is the bill. It may be huge, short and wide, or longer than the head in certain species. Some of them have a frontal shield.

生態及棲息地 Ecology & Habitat

牠們住在緩慢流動的溪流、鋸齒草、鹹水或淡水草澤、柏樹林澤、森林和茂密的灌木叢、草原乾旱平原、牧場和耕地。

They live in slow-flowing streams, sawgrass, saltwater or freshwater marshes, cypress swamps, forest and dense brush, grassland arid plains, pastures and cultivated fields.

食性 Diet

牠們是雜食性動物，主要捕食水生植物、軟體動物、青蛙和小魚。也可以捕食較大的動物，例如老鼠、鼴鼠、旅鼠、蜥蜴和蛇。

They are omnivorous, the main food sources are aquatic vegetation, mollusks, frogs, and small fish, larger animals as rats, moles, lemmings, lizards, and snakes.

繁殖 Reproduction

雖然有記載一夫多妻制和一妻多夫制的案例，但大多數被認為是一夫多妻制。牠們通常產下5–10個卵。

Although cases of polygyny and polyandry have been documented, the majority are believed to be monogamous. They typically lay five to ten eggs.