Brolga Brolga

1. Bare red skin on the head and crown with a grey neck

2. Black dewlap under the chin

3. Tall, upright posture and loud trumpeting “garooo” call

Brolgas are omnivorous, foraging for tubers, bulbs, seeds, insects, molluscs, crustaceans, amphibians, and sometimes small fish. They are known for their elaborate courtship dances, which involve leaping, bowing, trumpeting, and tossing objects in the airbehaviours performed year-round to reinforce pair bonds. Brolgas mate for life, and both parents build a large nest mound in shallow water or wetland vegetation, sharing incubation duties. Breeding usually occurs from July to December, with two eggs laid per clutch. Chicks are precocial and remain with their parents for up to 11 months. Outside the breeding season, Brolgas form flocks that may number in the hundreds, especially in the north.

Brolgas are found across northern and eastern Australia, with their largest populations in tropical Queensland and the Northern Territory. In the south, they are now largely restricted to southwest Victoria and parts of New South Wales, with smaller scattered populations elsewhere. They inhabit a variety of wetland habitats, including swamps, lagoons, floodplains, and grassy plains, and are often seen in open farmland and occasionally coastal mudflats. During the breeding season (July–December), pairs become territorial in shallow wetlands with low vegetation, while outside the breeding season, Brolgas gather in large flocks at deeper wetlands and open pastures.