African Grey Crowned Crane Visits Seletar Wetlands, Becomes Top Model For Photographers

Grey Crowned Crane Visits Seletar Wetlands, Photographed Like Fashion Model

When it comes to the most beautiful animals, most people probably think of birds. A lone grey crowned crane certainly got such a model-like treatment when it went to the Seletar Wetlands.

The crane, originating from Africa, graced visitors with its presence at the Hampstead Wetlands Park.

With majestic feathers and regal grace, it rapidly became the centre of attention as it stared around at the humans and picked through the muddy wetlands.

One photographer even spent eight months waiting to snap a photo of the crane mid-flight.

Grey crowned crane visits Seletar wetlands

Grey crowned cranes are native to Africa. Somehow, one wound up free and living life around Seletar, alone after a taxi allegedly killed its mate.

The beautiful bird featured smooth grey feathers, wings tipped with red and orange, and a golden ‘crown’ of feathers on its head.

On 21 Oct, the crane took a visit to the Hampstead Wetlands Park in Seletar, where photographer Trevor Teo snapped an amazing photo.

The crane did not frequent the park to feed, but now that it was there, photographers forgot about the usual wildlife and showered it with attention.

Seemingly content with stealing the spotlight, the crowned crane practically posed for the cameras naturally like a fashion model on a catwalk.

It puffed up its feathers and gave the cameras a good colourful display.

Crane went on sightseeing tour

The crane then waded into the muddy waters and foraged for food, or perhaps admiring its own reflection.

Photographer Ivan Goh even captured it standing at full height, impressively tall.

On its sightseeing tour, it seemed to take some offence at the ‘no feeding wildlife’ signboard.

Mr Goh even saw it mid-flight, with red, black, and white wings outstretched.

Photographer spends 8 months getting the right picture

Not everybody had such an easy photo session with the crane.

Photographer Dannis Soh showed tremendous dedication in his quest for photography. He saw the grey crowned crane flying in Feb 2023, but the snapped picture came with motion blur.

Undeterred, he then made the trip to Seletar every week for eight months to get a proper picture of the crane in flight.

On 19 Oct, with ants biting his legs for two hours, he finally caught the crane mid-flight in crystal-clear quality.

With a purplish haze backdrop, the photo almost seemed like a painting rather than reality.

Though the grey crowned crane isn’t native to Singapore, photographers certainly don’t mind its lone presence.

Who knew a park visit could turn into a model photoshoot session?

In 2020, what appears to be the same crane, much smaller, pecked at a car and checked its own reflection out.

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Featured image adapted from Trevor Teo on Facebook and Dannis Soh on Facebook.