{"schema":"https://ver.cy/schemas/card/1.0.0","id":"vr.tr.gruidae","code":"thing-q25365","url":"https://ver.cy/models/thing/q25365/","name":"Gruidae","alternateNames":[],"kind":"thing","status":"published","version":"0.1.0-research.1","language":"en","classifiers":{"family":"Thing Registry","category":"Physical world and living systems","entryKind":"thing","plane":"PHY","domain":["PHY.LIV"],"industry":[],"navPath":"","tags":[],"facets":{}},"whatItIs":"Gruidae (Vigors, 1825) is the family of cranes: large, long-legged, long-necked gruiform birds that nest on the ground in wetlands or open grassland and comprise 15 extant species in Balearica, Leucogeranus, Antigone and Grus. Many cranes have an elongated, coiled trachea associated with resonant bugling calls, but crowned cranes lack this coiling.","purpose":"Enable an AI agent to recognise cranes of the family Gruidae, assess individuals and populations in their seasonal context, and determine appropriate observation, protection or specialist intervention.","scope":{"in":["Evidence supporting identification as Gruidae and, where possible, a particular crane species","Individual age class, physical condition, mobility and feeding ability","Pair, family and flock relationships and reproductive state","Population-specific residency, seasonal movements and use of breeding, feeding and roosting sites","Crane-specific exposure to disturbance and hazards, with evidence needed to select an intervention"],"out":["Independent taxonomic models for herons, storks, ibises and other birds confused with cranes","Complete wetland, grassland, catchment or agricultural ecosystem models","Standalone models of pathogens, veterinary treatments or diagnostic procedures","Infrastructure engineering, land ownership and agricultural production planning","Full legal instruments and conservation programme administration"],"boundaries":[]},"distinguishingFeatures":["Observe neck posture during sustained flight: an extended neck supports crane identification against herons, which generally retract it; this does not by itself distinguish cranes from storks. Reference: [Animal Diversity Web: Grey Heron](https://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Ardea_cinerea/).","Require a combination of head pattern, bill profile, body plumage and wing pattern matching a documented crane species; long legs, a long neck or wetland presence alone do not establish Gruidae. Comparison reference: [International Crane Foundation species guide](https://savingcranes.org/).","Compare an available call recording with an identified crane species reference and check that the visible bird produced it; retain uncertainty when silhouettes could also be storks or other large birds. Reference recordings: [International Crane Foundation species guide](https://savingcranes.org/).","Do not reject crane identification because a bird perches in a tree: crowned cranes have a developed hind toe supporting this behaviour. Assess their crown and plumage together. Reference: [National Aviary: Gray Crowned-Crane](https://www.aviary.org/birds-habitats/our-birds/?search=Gray+Crowned-Crane)."],"structure":{"bundles":[{"id":"crane-recognition","name":"Crane recognition","description":"Establish whether the subject belongs to Gruidae and how specifically it can be identified.","layers":[{"id":"family-identification","name":"Family identification","description":"Assess the evidence separating cranes from similar birds.","findings":[{"id":"supported-crane-assignment","name":"Supported crane assignment","description":"Record the observed trait combination and competing identifications without treating one suggestive trait as decisive.","questions":[{"text":"Which observed flight posture, plumage, head features or calls support Gruidae?","id":"supported-crane-assignment-q01","kind":"definition"},{"text":"Which heron, stork or other local lookalike remains plausible, and what observation would distinguish it?","id":"supported-crane-assignment-q02","kind":"boundary"}]}]},{"id":"species-and-subject-resolution","name":"Species and subject resolution","description":"Locate an observation within crane taxonomy and distinguish individuals from aggregations.","findings":[{"id":"traceable-identification","name":"Traceable identification","description":"Tie species and individual assignments to dated evidence, accounting for immature plumage and uncertain flock membership.","questions":[{"text":"Which taxonomic reference and diagnostic evidence support the species assignment?","id":"traceable-identification-q01","kind":"provenance"},{"text":"Does this record concern a recognisable individual, a mixed-species flock or a defined population, and how is that established?","id":"traceable-identification-q02","kind":"boundary"}]}]}]},{"id":"crane-condition-and-function","name":"Crane condition and function","description":"Assess whether a crane can perform the activities expected for its age and circumstances.","layers":[{"id":"locomotion-and-feeding","name":"Locomotion and feeding","description":"Observe functional ability without provoking movement.","findings":[{"id":"functional-condition","name":"Functional condition","description":"Distinguish observed difficulty from an activity that was simply not seen.","questions":[{"text":"Can the crane stand, walk, use both wings and obtain food, and which functions were actually observed?","id":"functional-condition-q01","kind":"measurement"},{"text":"Could age, resting behaviour or a documented moult state explain apparent flightlessness?","id":"functional-condition-q02","kind":"boundary"}]}]},{"id":"condition-through-time","name":"Condition through time","description":"Interpret changes using comparable evidence and the crane's living context.","findings":[{"id":"condition-change-and-care-context","name":"Condition change and care context","description":"Keep wild, managed and captive contexts explicit when interpreting body condition or abnormal behaviour.","questions":[{"text":"What repeat observations or legitimate measurements show improvement, deterioration or stable condition?","id":"condition-change-and-care-context-q01","kind":"measurement"},{"text":"Is the crane free-living, provisioned, captive or recently released, and which records establish that context?","id":"condition-change-and-care-context-q02","kind":"provenance"}]}]}]},{"id":"pair-family-and-breeding","name":"Pair, family and breeding","description":"Represent crane relationships and the progress of reproductive attempts.","layers":[{"id":"social-associations","name":"Social associations","description":"Distinguish persistent relationships from temporary proximity.","findings":[{"id":"pair-and-family-evidence","name":"Pair and family evidence","description":"Treat pairing, parentage and juvenile dependency as evidence-based assignments.","questions":[{"text":"What repeated association, coordinated calling or care behaviour supports a pair or family relationship?","id":"pair-and-family-evidence-q01","kind":"provenance"},{"text":"Could the apparent pair or family instead be birds temporarily sharing a feeding or roosting site?","id":"pair-and-family-evidence-q02","kind":"boundary"}]}]},{"id":"reproductive-progress","name":"Reproductive progress","description":"Track a breeding attempt without equating courtship, nesting and successful recruitment.","findings":[{"id":"breeding-stage-and-outcome","name":"Breeding stage and outcome","description":"Separate observed eggs, hatchlings, surviving young and fledged young, retaining unknown outcomes.","questions":[{"text":"Which observations establish the current breeding stage and numbers of eggs or young?","id":"breeding-stage-and-outcome-q01","kind":"measurement"},{"text":"How can the next stage or outcome be checked without approaching the nest or separating the family?","id":"breeding-stage-and-outcome-q02","kind":"action"}]}]}]},{"id":"seasonal-sites-and-movement","name":"Seasonal sites and movement","description":"Connect crane occupancy to the places and resources needed across daily and seasonal cycles.","layers":[{"id":"functional-habitat-use","name":"Functional habitat use","description":"Record what cranes actually use each site for and what makes that use possible.","findings":[{"id":"site-function-and-suitability","name":"Site function and suitability","description":"Evaluate wetland, grassland, agricultural and tree-roosting use where appropriate to the identified cranes.","questions":[{"text":"Is this site used for nesting, feeding, roosting or several functions, and in which season?","id":"site-function-and-suitability-q01","kind":"definition"},{"text":"Which measured water conditions, food resources, vegetation or roost structures support the observed use?","id":"site-function-and-suitability-q02","kind":"measurement"}]}]},{"id":"movement-and-connectivity","name":"Movement and connectivity","description":"Distinguish local movements, migration and changing detectability.","findings":[{"id":"seasonal-dependence-and-counts","name":"Seasonal dependence and counts","description":"Interpret crane arrivals, departures and counts in relation to survey coverage and links between sites.","questions":[{"text":"What repeated sightings, marked-bird records or tracking evidence connect this site to other seasonal locations?","id":"seasonal-dependence-and-counts-q01","kind":"provenance"},{"text":"Could a count change reflect redistribution, migration timing, double counting or survey effort rather than population change?","id":"seasonal-dependence-and-counts-q02","kind":"boundary"}]}]}]},{"id":"crane-threats-and-intervention","name":"Crane threats and intervention","description":"Translate documented crane exposure and condition into proportionate actions.","layers":[{"id":"exposure-and-response","name":"Exposure and response","description":"Distinguish a potential hazard, contact with it and demonstrated biological harm.","findings":[{"id":"crane-specific-risk-evidence","name":"Crane-specific risk evidence","description":"Connect threats to observed flight routes, feeding areas, roosts, nests or affected birds.","questions":[{"text":"Which hazard overlaps documented crane activity, and what evidence shows exposure or harm?","id":"crane-specific-risk-evidence-q01","kind":"provenance"},{"text":"What changes in feeding, vigilance, displacement, injury or breeding outcome can be measured without assuming causation?","id":"crane-specific-risk-evidence-q02","kind":"measurement"}]}]},{"id":"intervention-conditions","name":"Intervention conditions","description":"Establish what can be done, by whom and with what evidence of benefit.","findings":[{"id":"permitted-and-evaluable-action","name":"Permitted and evaluable action","description":"Compare observation, disturbance reduction, habitat measures and specialist intervention against the crane's condition and dependencies.","questions":[{"text":"Which action is justified, and what species identification, local authority, permissions and specialist competence must be established before it proceeds?","id":"permitted-and-evaluable-action-q01","kind":"action"},{"text":"What outcome and stopping criteria will show whether the action helps without separating dependent young or displacing cranes from essential sites?","id":"permitted-and-evaluable-action-q02","kind":"action"}]}]}]},{"id":"evidence-and-external-alignment","name":"Evidence and external alignment","description":"What the world already says about this thing, gathered so the model can be checked against it.","layers":[{"id":"reported-evidence","name":"Reported evidence","description":"Findings from the breadth pass, kept separate from the structural claims.","findings":[{"id":"evidence-kinds","name":"Kinds and varieties","description":"Reported by the breadth pass; each item needs checking against its source before it becomes normative.","questions":[{"text":"Which of these kinds and varieties hold for the sense of Gruidae this model covers, and on what evidence?","id":"evidence-kinds-q01","kind":"provenance"}]},{"id":"evidence-identifiers","name":"Identifiers and schemes","description":"Reported by the breadth pass; each item needs checking against its source before it becomes normative.","questions":[{"text":"Which of these identifiers and schemes hold for the sense of Gruidae this model covers, and on what evidence?","id":"evidence-identifiers-q01","kind":"provenance"}]},{"id":"evidence-standards-and-regulation","name":"Standards and regulation","description":"Reported by the breadth pass; each item needs checking against its source before it becomes normative.","questions":[{"text":"Which of these standards and regulation hold for the sense of Gruidae this model covers, and on what evidence?","id":"evidence-standards-and-regulation-q01","kind":"provenance"}]},{"id":"evidence-real-world-use","name":"Real-world use","description":"Reported by the breadth pass; each item needs checking against its source before it becomes normative.","questions":[{"text":"Which of these real-world use hold for the sense of Gruidae this model covers, and on what evidence?","id":"evidence-real-world-use-q01","kind":"provenance"}]},{"id":"evidence-measurements","name":"Typical measurements","description":"Reported by the breadth pass; each item needs checking against its source before it becomes normative.","questions":[{"text":"Which of these typical measurements hold for the sense of Gruidae this model covers, and on what evidence?","id":"evidence-measurements-q01","kind":"provenance"}]},{"id":"evidence-failure-modes-and-hazards","name":"Failure modes and hazards","description":"Reported by the breadth pass; each item needs checking against its source before it becomes normative.","questions":[{"text":"Which of these failure modes and hazards hold for the sense of Gruidae this model covers, and on what evidence?","id":"evidence-failure-modes-and-hazards-q01","kind":"provenance"}]},{"id":"evidence-regional-variation","name":"Regional variation","description":"Reported by the breadth pass; each item needs checking against its source before it becomes normative.","questions":[{"text":"Which of these regional variation hold for the sense of Gruidae this model covers, and on what evidence?","id":"evidence-regional-variation-q01","kind":"provenance"}]},{"id":"evidence-neighbours","name":"Neighbouring kinds and how to tell them apart","description":"Reported by the breadth pass; each item needs checking against its source before it becomes normative.","questions":[{"text":"Which of these neighbouring kinds and how to tell them apart hold for the sense of Gruidae this model covers, and on what evidence?","id":"evidence-neighbours-q01","kind":"provenance"}]}]}]}]},"agentConduct":{"may":["Report crane observations to recognized wildlife recording schemes.","Describe crane species, their status and habitats from conservation sources."],"mustNot":["Approach, disturb or flush nesting or roosting cranes.","Fly drones near crane flocks or nests where this disturbs them.","Publish exact locations of nests of threatened species.","Assist in hunting, capturing or trading cranes in breach of wildlife law."],"requiresHuman":["Intervening with an injured or trapped crane.","Any action in a protected wetland."]},"ethics":{"considerations":["Many crane species are threatened by wetland loss and collisions with power lines.","Cranes hold deep cultural and religious meaning in many societies."],"affectedParties":["Cranes","Wetland communities","Birdwatchers and conservationists"]},"owners":{"steward":"Nobody: wild and protected by law.","roles":[],"masterSystems":["Global species assessment and bird population databases"]},"relations":[{"target":"Q3303681","type":"parent","note":"registry parent class"}],"interaction":{"identity":{"applicability":"required","items":["Vercy registry: vr.tr.gruidae","Wikidata: Q25365 (https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q25365)"]},"properties":{"applicability":"required","items":["Taxonomic identification: Gruidae confirmed; probable Gruidae; unresolved large bird; species assignment with authority and confidence","Assessment subject: Individual; pair; family; flock; defined population; family-level statement","Age and dependency: Egg; chick; dependent juvenile; independent immature; adult; unknown","Mobility and feeding function: Observed walking, standing, flying and feeding: apparently unimpaired; impaired; not observed; not applicable","Body mass: kg, with measurement date, method, species and age context","Social association: Associated mate, dependent young, family group or flock, with evidence and observation period","Breeding stage: Unknown; no breeding evidence; courtship; nest building; incubation; chick rearing; completed attempt; failed attempt","Seasonal movement context: Resident; local or nomadic movement; migration; stopover; wintering; unknown","Site dependence: Links to observed nesting, roosting, feeding and stopover sites, with dates and alternatives","Crane count: Individuals, with species composition, age classes, survey effort and uncertainty","Hazard exposure: Observed or suspected connection to disturbance, collision, entanglement, poisoning or habitat loss"]},"recognition":{"applicability":"required","items":["Tall long-legged birds with long necks held straight out in flight.","Loud trumpeting calls and paired dancing displays."]},"capabilities":{"applicability":"required","items":["Identify or provisionally classify a crane observation using photographs, recordings and species references.","Plan repeat observations of crane condition, family composition and site use with disturbance-sensitive methods.","Assess whether proposed changes to water levels, farming activity or access could affect documented crane use.","Prioritise protection of connected roosting, feeding, breeding and stopover sites.","Refer an apparently injured or endangered crane to an appropriate specialist with the evidence and intervention constraints.","Evaluate outcomes of an authorised crane conservation action using comparable observations before and after it."]},"hazards":{"applicability":"required","items":["Disturbance near nesting or roosting sites can disrupt breeding and essential resting behavior.","Habitat loss, wetland drainage and collisions with power lines can injure cranes or reduce populations.","Close contact or attempted handling can cause injuries to people and birds.","Confusing species or seasonal population records can misdirect conservation decisions."]},"interfaces":{"applicability":"required","items":["The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, administered by its Secretariat and implemented by Parties, regulates international trade in cranes through species listings in its appendices.","The International Code of Zoological Nomenclature issued by the International Commission on Zoological Nomenclature governs the scientific naming of this bird family and its constituent taxa."]},"context":{"applicability":"required","items":["Cranes occur in wetlands, grasslands and agricultural landscapes, with habitat use changing between breeding, migration and wintering.","Records of this family support bird identification, population monitoring, habitat protection and assessment of interactions with farming and infrastructure."]}},"sources":[{"title":"Family Gruidae (Cranes), in Handbook of the Birds of the World, Vol. 3: Hoatzin to Auks","url":"","note":"Family diagnosis, genera, species limits as treated in the mid-1990s, and natural-history synthesis used for definition, kinds and neighbours."},{"title":"Cranes of the World","url":"","note":"Morphology (including the tracheal coil), measurements, migration and species accounts underpinning measurements, real-world occurrence and failure modes."},{"title":"IOC World Bird List","url":"https://www.worldbirdnames.org/","note":"Current four-genus, 15-species classification (Balearica, Leucogeranus, Antigone, Grus) used for kinds and taxonomic identifiers."},{"title":"The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species (Gruidae species assessments)","url":"https://www.iucnredlist.org/","note":"Threat status, habitat loss, collision and hunting pressures cited under failure modes and regulation."},{"title":"International Crane Foundation species and conservation programmes","url":"https://savingcranes.org/","note":"Captive breeding, reintroduction, flyway congregations and crop-conflict practice used for real-world use and regional variation."},{"title":"Gruidae (Q25316)","url":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q25316","note":"Stable Wikidata identifier for the family."},{"title":"CITES Appendices I, II and III","url":"https://cites.org/eng/app/appendices.php","note":"Species-level trade listings that govern most cranes internationally."},{"title":"Wikidata item Q25365: Gruidae","url":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q25365","note":"identity and sense of the item"},{"title":"Wikipedia: Crane (bird)","url":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crane_%28bird%29","note":"general description of the item"}],"openQuestions":["Which taxonomic authority and version should define Gruidae membership and resolve alternative genus or species names in this registry?","Which identification features remain reliable for juveniles, obscured birds and locally relevant crane lookalikes?","What species-, age- and season-specific evidence is sufficient to distinguish injury from normal moult or juvenile flightlessness?","What local evidence establishes acceptable disturbance distances, water conditions and alternative-site availability for each crane population?","Which existing Vercy world models already own crane, bird, population or habitat concepts, and which parts should be linked rather than duplicated?"],"resources":{"spec":"/models/things/publications/thing-q25365/spec.json"},"provenance":{"origin":"thing registry research (pass 2)","builtFrom":["models/things/publications/thing-q25365/spec.json"],"providers":["Codex","Grok"],"researchStatus":"unreviewed","generatedAt":"2026-09-07T11:05:05Z","builder":"tools/build_cards.py@1.0.0"},"completeness":{"sections":{"classifiers":"filled","whatItIs":"filled","purpose":"filled","distinguishingFeatures":"filled","structure":"filled","agentConduct":"filled","ethics":"filled","owners":"filled","relations":"filled","interaction.identity":"filled","interaction.properties":"filled","interaction.recognition":"filled","interaction.capabilities":"filled","interaction.hazards":"filled","interaction.interfaces":"filled","interaction.context":"filled","sources":"filled"},"notes":{"_gate":"Published through the thing publication gate 1.0 on 2026-10-07T12:16:31+00:00: completeness 1.00; sense: Wikidata description; 6 live sources; review by codex: pass"},"score":1.0}}