Sharpe's crane is abundant in the vicinity of Cabanatuan, Nueva Ecija Province, Luzon. When I observed them in September, 1908, they were feeding in pairs and frequenting a grassy plain. Two badly decayed eggs were taken from a nest which consisted of a little grass arranged on the ground in circular form. The eggs are white marked with a few lavender spots and dented with numerous, small, elongated pits. The surface is hard and smooth, very slightly glossy, and with a few small lumps about the larger end. When held toward the light the shell appears through the hole to be dark green. These eggs measure 91.5 by 63 and 97.5 by 64.6.
This species has been reported from the Candaba Swamp in central Luzon and Worcester found it abundant in northern Luzon. He says: "I saw Antigone sharpei in large numbers in Cagayan and Isabela during my recent trip, 1906, through those provinces. I am informed that these birds nest on the ground in May, contenting themselves with scraping together and flattening down a little grass on which to deposit their eggs. About August they lose their long wing-feathers and when in this condition can rise but a few feet from the ground. The people of Isabela then pursue them on horseback and take them with lassoes, although according to the statements of the hunters the birds, aided by their wings, run about as fast as deer."
Body usually compressed; neck and legs very long; plumage full and soft; bill long, normally straight, wedge-shaped, and pointed, but in Ibididæ blunt and decurved, in Plataleidæ broadly spatulate; nostrils near base of bill, elongate; hind toe insistent or but slightly elevated. Nest made of sticks and twigs usually placed in a tree or bush; eggs three to five, blue and unspotted; young helpless at birth.
a1. Sides of upper mandible with a deep, narrow groove extending from nostrils to tip. ... Plataleæ (p. 157) a2. Sides of upper mandible without any groove.
b1. Claws broad and flat, that of middle toe not pectinate. ... Ciconiæ (p. 159) b2. Claws narrow and arched, that of middle toe with its inner edge distinctly pectinate. ... Ardeæ (p. 161)
a1. Bill slender, nearly cylindrical, decidedly decurved for nearly its whole length. ... Ibididæ (p. 157) a2. Bill very broad, flattened, greatly widened toward the tip. ... Plataleidæ (p. 158)