Grey Crowned Crane

Balearica regulorum

Grasslands, marshes. Neck and body grey; yellow crest on black crown; white facial patch.

Cranes

Not Endemic

Description

Fairly common resident, but threatened. Unmistakable owing to striking orange crest. Immature has less-developed crest and wattles and looks browner. The call is a two-syllabled trumpeting, sounding like ‘ma-hem’. Usually occurs in flocks in grassland, farmlands, near vleis and other marshy regions, both in highlands and at the coast. Roosts on offshore islands, in reed beds in river estuaries and in trees. Nomadic when not breeding.

Quick Facts

Bird Family

Large, long-legged terrestrial birds, differing from storks in having short bills and being quite vocal. Like storks, they fly with heads and necks outstretched. They indulge in elaborate dancing displays with wings outstretched when courting, sometimes involving more than two birds. The South African populations of all three crane species have declined markedly in recent years. Whereas these cranes may be fairly common in some parts of southern Africa, their numbers have become very reduced in South Africa and all three species should be regarded as vulnerable.