# Grey Crowned Crane (*Balearica regulorum*) The Grey Crowned Crane is a beautiful bird with a striking crown of golden feathers. They are known for their elegant dance and can often be seen in pairs, making them a symbol of love and loyalty in the wild. - **Category:** [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/bird) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Habitat:** Savannas ![Grey Crowned Crane](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Balearica_regulorum_regulorum%252C_South_Africa.jpg&width=800) Photo: Laura from Boston, USA, CC BY 2.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Balearica_regulorum_regulorum%252C_South_Africa.jpg) ## Appearance The Grey Crowned Crane is an elegant bird with a mostly grey body and distinctive white and brown wings. It features a magnificent golden, bristle-like crown on its head, with bright red patches on its face. Long black legs support its tall stature. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Chordata - **Class:** Aves - **Order:** Gruiformes - **Family:** Gruidae - **Genus:** Balearica ## Interesting facts - Baby Grey Crowned Cranes are called 'colts' and can walk just hours after hatching! - Grey Crowned Cranes are one of only two crane species worldwide that can perch in trees! - Their long, powerful legs help them stomp the ground to flush out hidden insects! - They perform amazing 'dances' with jumps and bows to find a mate! ## Special abilities - **Crown of Gold:** Grey Crowned Cranes have a spectacular golden, bristly crest that helps them attract mates during their elaborate courtship displays. - **Trumpet Voice:** Grey Crowned Cranes can make loud, booming calls because they have a special coiled windpipe that helps them communicate across long distances. - **Tree Percher:** Grey Crowned Cranes can perch in trees, an unusual trait for cranes, because their long hind toe helps them grasp branches securely. ## Measurements & details - **Length:** 100-110 cm - **Wingspan:** 180-200 cm - **Weight:** 3-4 kg - **Lifespan:** 15-22 years - **Speed:** 50 km/h - **Clutch Size:** 2-5 - **Incubation:** 28-31 days ## Diet & Feeding They are omnivores, eating everything from insects and small animals to seeds and plants! - **Primary Foods:** insects, seeds, small fish, frogs, grains, grasses - **Foraging Method:** Foraging ## Ecological connections - **Eaten by:** Nile Crocodile (*Crocodylus niloticus*) — Preys on eggs and chicks near water. - **Eaten by:** Bateleur Eagle (*Terathopius ecaudatus*) — A powerful raptor that may target young cranes. - **Eats:** [Desert Locust](https://www.snappit.app/explore/desert-locust) (*Schistocerca gregaria*) — Devours many insects, including locusts. - **Eats:** Anchieta's Grass Frog (*Ptychadena anchietae*) — Consumes frogs found in its wetland habitats. ## Traits - [Feathered](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/feathered): Feathered describes animals, primarily birds, possessing a covering of feathers. - [Social](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/social): Social animals live in organized groups, cooperating for survival benefits such as foraging, defense, and raising offspring. - [Singing](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/singing): Singing animals produce complex vocalizations, often for purposes of attracting mates, defending territory, or communicating within their species. - [Colorful](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/colorful): Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors. - [Herbivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/herbivorous): This trait characterizes organisms whose diet consists entirely or primarily of plant material. - [Savanna](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/savanna): This habitat trait denotes species native to savannas, which are grasslands with scattered trees, typically found in tropical or subtropical regions with distinct wet and dry seasons. - [Diurnal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/diurnal): Diurnal animals are primarily active during daylight hours, typically resting or sleeping at night. - [Migratory](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/migratory): Migratory animals undertake seasonal movements from one region to another, typically in response to changes in climate or food availability. - [Endangered](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/endangered): Endangered status indicates a species is at a very high risk of extinction in the wild in the near future. ## Collections - [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/birds) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Always watch birds from a distance and do not try to touch them. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Grey Crowned Crane? Compare the silhouette, bill shape, tail length, wing bars and markings around the eyes. The same small brown bird at your feeder can look quite different in breeding plumage, winter plumage or its first year. Bird Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How long is Grey Crowned Crane? 100-110 cm ### What is Grey Crowned Crane's wingspan? 180-200 cm ### How much does Grey Crowned Crane weigh? 3-4 kg ### How long does Grey Crowned Crane live? 15-22 years ### How fast can Grey Crowned Crane move? 50 km/h ### What does Grey Crowned Crane eat? They are omnivores, eating everything from insects and small animals to seeds and plants! ### Where is Grey Crowned Crane usually found? Savannas ## Where to spot - [Tiergarten Delitzsch](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/tiergarten-delitzsch) — Sachsen, DE · Zoo - [Tatzmania Löffingen - Zoo & Freizeitpark](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/tatzmania-loffingen-zoo-freizeitpark) — Baden-Württemberg, DE · Zoo ## More Birds - [Black-crowned Night Heron](https://www.snappit.app/explore/black-crowned-night-heron) (*Nycticorax nycticorax*) - [Anna's Hummingbird](https://www.snappit.app/explore/annas-hummingbird) (*Calypte anna*) - [Great Egret](https://www.snappit.app/explore/great-egret) (*Ardea alba*) - [Blue Jay](https://www.snappit.app/explore/blue-jay) (*Cyanocitta cristata*) --- Source: [Grey Crowned Crane: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/grey-crowned-crane)