Ruby

Profile Picture and Leg Ring Combination Code

• White
• Black
• Red

What is this?

Each crane has a unique combination of 3 coloured rings on their right leg. This marking code helps to identify the crane in the wild.

Character profile:

Summer 2010: Ruby was unfortunately a bit of a bully when she was younger and spent most of her time fighting - until she met Minnie. She is still quite high ranking, although she has now calmed down and is not particularly aggressive.  She is the sister of Red-Black (Tamsin).  Sept 2010: Ruby has formed a loose association both with Minnie's cohort and Clarences.  She is one of the cranes that can be easily indentified at a distance as she has a large white patch on her primaries, which looks like a white patch on her side when at rest and foraging in the fields. October 2010: Ruby has recently decided to hang out with the 'three amigos' along with red/black (Tamsin) , forming a regular group of five birds. These are the most wild acting cranes and have also explored the farthest!Nov 2010: In recent weeks the cranes have all joined forces with Clarence's group and are now usually moving as a group of 20. She is not hanging around with the three amigos anymore and is making new friends within the group. The brids have discovered new fields to explore and are often found foraging on maize stubbles, Rubys new favourite food! With white on her side she is still obvious in this big group, especially when it is getting darker much earlier in the evenings and harder to spot them.Nov 2010: Ruby has recently developed a friendship with Gilbert and they have been seen preening one another when the large group is foraging. They are never far from one another.JAN 2011 Ruby has been part of the overwintering flock that formed towards the end of November,  which has remained a tight-nit group throughout the coldest December on record.   The flock is still a single unit and has been most recently feeding around the Aller Moor area.  The white patch is still very obvious - see photo!March 2011:  Ruby has given all a bit of worry over the last few weeks. She spent nine days on her own in a reed bed away from the rest of the group, possibly due to ill health (although we can never be sure). However, she is back to full health now and with the rest of the group 24/7. Her adult plumage is comming through well now although she still has the very distinctive white patch on one wing. September 2011:  Ruby is still completely healthy, and is not giving away any signs to explain her brief absence from the group earlier in the year.  Her adult plumage has come through nicely, and she is allowing the 2011 cohort of birds to integrate well.

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Photos of Ruby

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