Grey Crowned Crane

Grey Crowned Crane

African crowned crane, Golden crested crane, Golden-crowned crane, East African crane, East African crowned crane, African Crane, Eastern crowned crane, South African crane, Crested crane, G

Kingdom
Phylum
Class
Subclass
Infraclass
Superorder
Order
Family
Genus
SPECIES
Balearica regulorum
Population size
20-50 Thou
Life Span
22-25 years
Weight
3-4
6.6-8.8
kglbs
kg lbs 
Height
100-110
39.4-43.3
cminch
cm inch 
Length
180-200
70.9-78.7
cminch
cm inch 
Wingspan
180-200
70.9-78.7
cminch
cm inch 

The elegant Grey crowned crane (Balearica regulorum) is one of Africa’s most majestic and beautiful birds. It is the national symbol and the national bird of Uganda. The name is due to its yellow crown of feathers, tipped with black. This crane moves gracefully in a most stately manner with a very dignified gait. In flight it is beautiful, using slow-down strokes followed by quick upward strokes of its wings.

Di

Diurnal

Om

Omnivore

Te

Terrestrial

Ar

Arboreal

Wa

Wading birds

Pr

Precocial

Zo

Zoochory

Co

Congregatory

Ov

Oviparous

Mo

Monogamy

So

Social

Fl

Flocking

No

Not a migrant

G

starts with

Appearance

The body plumage of this bird is mainly grey. The wings are predominantly white, but contain feathers with a range of colors, with a distinctive black patch at the very top. The head has a crown of stiff golden feathers. The sides of the face are white, and there is a bright red inflatable throat pouch. The bill is relatively short and grey, and the legs are black. They have long legs for wading through the grasses. The feet are large, yet slender, adapted for balance rather than defense or grasping. The sexes are similar, although males tend to be slightly larger. Younger cranes are greyer than adults, with a feathered buff face.

Video

Distribution

Geography

The Grey crowned crane lives in eastern and southern Africa, from Kenya and Uganda to South Africa and Zimbabwe, frequenting wetlands, savannahs, open grasslands, and cultivated areas. In parts of East Africa, it occurs in modified habitats like pastures, croplands, and other irrigated areas, while in South Africa, it is found in marshes, grasslands, savannahs, and cultivated fields.

Grey Crowned Crane habitat map

Climate zones

Grey Crowned Crane habitat map
Grey Crowned Crane
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Habits and Lifestyle

Grey crowned cranes are diurnal birds that spend their days foraging in grassland and areas of cultivation, pecking rapidly to reach the food. They are very territorial with regard to nesting sites; however, as regards foraging sites, no observations have been made of a territorial display. These birds are gregarious outside of the breeding season, roosting together in trees or water. Flocks may include 30-150 individuals. Outside the breeding season, mates will preen one another to strengthen their bond and perform dances as well. These birds are non-migratory, moving locally and seasonally according to food sources, availability of nest sites, and the rains. Chicks will make a sharp shrill “peeep” when communicating with their parents, who will reply with a “purring” sound. “Oouuw” and “ya-oou-goo-lung” can also be made.

Seasonal behavior
Bird's call

Diet and Nutrition

Grey crowned cranes are omnivores. They eat plant matter, including fresh parts of grasses, seed heads of sedges, and insects such as grasshoppers, locusts and crickets, and worms, lizards, frogs, and crabs.

Mating Habits

MATING BEHAVIOR
REPRODUCTION SEASON
varyies with rains, peak is in December-February
INCUBATION PERIOD
50-60 days
INDEPENDENT AGE
56-100 days
BABY NAME
chick
web.animal_clutch_size
1-4 eggs

Grey crowned cranes are monogamous and mate for life. During the breeding season, these birds perform beautiful displays: dancing, bowing, running, and jumping while making low booming calls that inflate their gular sacs. The calls are made while their head is lowered to shoulder level. Varying with the rains, the breeding season generally peaks from December to February. The pair selects the nest site, within their territory, and will give unison calls from it. They build their nest together. The nest is often placed on the edge of the wetland, rarely in a tree, and hidden in dense aquatic vegetation. The female lays 1-4 eggs and both parents incubate them for about 50-60 days. Chicks are precocial, can run as soon as they hatch, and fledge in 56-100 days. Once they are fully grown and independent, chicks of different sexes will separate from their parents to start their own families. They reach reproductive maturity at about 3 years of age.

Population

Population threats

Populations of Grey crowned cranes are rapidly declining, due to the degradation of habitat by human development, changes as a result of drought in several regions, the loss of breeding areas from overgrazing and the drainage of wetlands, and also the pet trade, egg collecting, use of pesticides and hunting. Pesticides also kill insects that these birds may otherwise eat.

Population number

According to the IUCN Red List, the total population size of the Grey crowned crane is 20,000-49,999 individuals or roughly 17,700-22,300 mature individuals. Currently, this species is classified as Endangered (EN) on the IUCN Red List, and its numbers today are decreasing.

Ecological niche

Seeds are a big part of the Grey crowned crane’s diet, so they are probably an important disperser of seeds.

Fun Facts for Kids

  • A Grey crowned crane has long hind toes that enable it to roost in trees, one of only two species of crane that can do this, the other being the Black crowned crane.
  • Grey crowned cranes make wonderful pets and are able to survive well in captivity.
  • The Grey crowned crane, being Uganda’s national bird, is featured on the country’s coat of arms and flag.
  • Grey crowned cranes sometimes follow cattle to eat insects that have been flushed out.
  • This bird is a sacred symbol for Kenya, Namibia, Zambia, and South Africa.
  • Many people believe that these cranes can bring rain, so they include pictures of cranes in their rituals to encourage the rainy season to come.
  • To hunt for food, the Grey crowned crane stamps its feet on the ground to cause bugs to run out of the grass.

Coloring Pages

References

1. Grey Crowned Crane Wikipedia article - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grey_crowned_crane
2. Grey Crowned Crane on The IUCN Red List site - http://www.iucnredlist.org/details/22692046/0
3. Xeno-canto bird call - https://xeno-canto.org/517503
4. Video creator - https://avibirds.com

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