Grey crowned crane

The grey crowned crane is a tall African crane, about one metre high, with a two-metre wingspan. Its body is mostly grey, its wings are white, dark and golden, and on its head it wears a crown of stiff golden feathers. It has white cheeks and a bright red throat pouch that it can inflate.

It lives in the grasslands, wetlands and farmland of East and southern Africa. It is the national bird of Uganda and appears on the country's flag. Wildlife groups worry about it, and the IUCN lists it as Endangered. The scientific name Balearica regulorum separates it from the black crowned crane, a close relative of West Africa.

A crane that perches in trees

Most cranes cannot grip branches. The grey crowned crane has a long back toe that lets it hold on, so it can roost in trees at night.

It feeds on the ground and eats almost anything: seeds, grain, insects, frogs, worms, small snakes and fish. Its feet are large and slender, which helps with balance. It also lives near rivers and lakes, and in fields that people farm.

Danger from drained wetlands

The cranes need wet grassland and marshes to nest. When wetlands are drained for farming or built over, the cranes lose their homes.

There are two subspecies: the East African one, which has more bare red skin on the face, and the smaller South African one. Young cranes are greyer than adults and have feathered, tan faces. Protecting wet grassland helps cranes and many other animals that need it.

On the globe

The globe places the grey crowned crane in the wetlands and grasslands of East Africa, such as Uganda and Kenya. Look for the golden crown.