Grey crowned crane

Balearica regulorum

Grijze kroonkraanvogel / Östlicher Kronenkranich / Grue royale

This species has been uplisted to Endangered by the IUCN because threats such as habitat loss and the illegal removal of birds and eggs from the wild have driven very rapid declines during the past three generations (45 years). Balearica regulorum occurs in eastern and southern Africa, with B. r. gibbericeps occurring from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Rwanda, Uganda and Kenya south throughTanzania to Mozambique, and nominate race B. r. regulorum found from Mozambique south through Zimbabwe to South Africa and west in small numbers to Namibia and Angola.

This species is not migratory although it may make variable local and seasonal movements depending on the abundance and distribution of food, nest-sites and rainfall (del Hoyo et al. 1996). The timing of breeding varies in relation to the rains, with the breeding of East African populations peaking during dry periods, but with the breeding of populations in the drier parts of southern Africa peaking during wet periods (del Hoyo et al. 1996). The species nests in solitary territorial pairs (Urban et al. 1986, Hockey et al. 2005) but often flocks together (del Hoyo et al. 1996) and roosts communally at night (Hockey et al. 2005) in groups of up to 20-200 individuals (Urban et al. 1986) during dry periods in the drier part of its range (e.g. Namibia and South Africa) (del Hoyo et al. 1996). The abundance and distribution of food and suitable nesting sites are the key ecological factors determining the size of the home range of this species and the extent of local and seasonal population movements (Meine and Archibald 1996).

More information: http://www.iucnredlist.org/details/106002785/0 

Above: Balearica regulorum regulorum

Above: Balearica regulorum regulorum

Above: Balearica regulorum gibbericeps

Above: Balearica regulorum regulorum