Grey Crowned Crane

The Grey-crowned crane (Balearica regulorum), also known as the African crowned crane, golden crested crane, golden-crowned crane, East African crane, East African crowned crane, African Crane, Eastern crowned crane, Kavirondo Crane, South African crane, Crested crane, is a bird in the crane family, Gruidae.

In Sub-Saharan Africa, it can be found in dry savannah, albeit it prefers somewhat wetter environments for nesting. In Uganda, Kenya, and as far south as South Africa, they can also be found in marshes, cultivated plains, and grassy flatlands next to rivers and lakes. Birds closer to the tropics are often stationary, and this animal has no predictable migration tendencies. In drier seasons, birds in more desert regions - particularly Namibia - make localized seasonal movements.

The grey crowned crane has a wingspan of 2 m, is about 1 m (3.3 ft) tall and weighs 3.5 kg (7.7 lbs) (6.5 ft). Its body feathers are primarily grey. The wings are mostly white, but they also have feathers of different colors and a recognizable black patch at the very top. A tight crown of golden feathers is on the head. The throat pouch is an inflatable bright red object, while the sides of the face are white. The legs are black, while the bill is gray and fairly short. They can wade across the grass because of their long legs. Instead of being used for defense or gripping, the feet are large yet slender and designed for balance. Although men tend to be slightly larger than women, the sexes are similar. Young birds are greyer than adults, with feathered buff faces.