A Common Crane. It is medium-sized, measuring 100 to 120 centimeters tall, and has a wingspan of up to 240 centimeters.

Its head and upper-neck are blackish, with a red patch on the crown, and a broad white band from the ear-coverts down to the upper neck.

Its plumage is overall grey, with black-tipped secondaries and long, drooping tertials, mixed with black plumes. The legs and feet are grey, and the bill is pale.