Grey Crowned Crane – Balearica regulorum

 This large wading bird belongs to the Gruidae family.  It lives in the dry savanna, south of the Sahara in Africa but it nests in some wetter habitats.

 This species consists of the following 2 subspecies:

Balearica regulorum gibbericeps Reichenow – Crowned Crane Eastern Africa

Balearica regulorum regulorum – South African Crowned Crane

Grey crowned Crane is the only crane that can roost in trees because of a long finger back that allows it to hold onto branches.

The nest is a platform of grass and other plants built in tall vegetation of wetlands. The female lays of 2 and 5 eggs. Incubation is carried by both sexes and lasts 28 to 31 days. The chicks fly between 56 and 100 days.