The grey crowned crane is a striking crane of eastern and southern Africa, with a golden crown and colourful face. It is a symbol of Uganda but is declining because of wetland loss and capture.
Interesting facts
- It is the national bird of Uganda and appears on the country’s flag.
- Its golden crown of stiff feathers makes it one of the most beautiful cranes.
- Crowned cranes dance, bowing, jumping and flapping, to strengthen pair bonds.
- Numbers have fallen by more than half in recent decades.
- In Rwanda, a campaign has returned hundreds of captive cranes to the wild.
- It has a red, inflatable throat pouch used for booming calls.
Behaviour
Grey crowned cranes live in pairs or family groups and form flocks outside the breeding season. They roost in trees at night.
Breeding and young
Pairs build nests in wetlands and lay two to four eggs, which both parents incubate for about a month.
Threats and conservation
Drainage and degradation of wetlands, capture for domestication and trade, poisoning and collisions with power lines.
Where to see it
- Queen Elizabeth National Park and Lake Mburo, Uganda
- Akagera National Park, Rwanda
- Ngorongoro Crater, Tanzania
- Maasai Mara, Kenya
Status source: IUCN Red List. Profile last reviewed September 2026.
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