Howdy, friends.  This week’s bird is the grey crowned crane.  This bird has a dizzying array of AKAs I will not transcribe here, because frankly none of them are funny.  The gray crowned crane is found throughout Africa, especially in eastern and southern parts of the continent.  There are two subspecies, the east African crested crane occurs in the east in Uganda, Kenya and the DRC, the south African crowned crane typically lives in Angola and south to South Africa.  The east African crowned crane is the national bird of Uganda and appears on the Ugandan flag.  

They live in marshes and and grassy flatlands near rivers and lakes. Most grey crowned cranes do not migrate, although some living in more arid places like Namibia may move around a bit based on the season. However, these are not the long treks we typically associate with seasonal migration.  These cranes are omnivorous, and eat a wide variety of seeds, plants, grain, small animals and the eggs laid in water.  They stamp their feet as they walk in order to drive prey out of hiding, and will often follow along behind larger grazing animals, hoping to score a meal in the form of whatever flees in terror before a gazelle or antelope.  I have to say, the idea of this eight pound bird stomping around like Godzilla, causing mortal panic among tiny critters is pretty funny.   These birds have been observed to congregate in groups numbering as many as 130 individuals, but typically keep to pairs or flocks up to around 20.  They are the only crane capable of roosting in trees thanks to a strong back toe, scientists theorize this is an ancestral trait, or ability leftover from an evolutionary ancestor. 

Mating season varies geographically.  The east African variety will try to time the arrival of new chicks with a relative dry spell, while the south African crested crane breeds when the weather is wet.  Chicks are precocial, meaning they are hatched ready to go and can run as soon as they are born.   Gray crowned cranes are down to boogie, “Both sexes dance, and immature birds join the adults. Dancing is an integral part of courtship, but also may be done at any time of the year.”  Seems like whether trying to get laid or not, they just like to dance.  

The gray crowned crane remains common throughout its range, but faces pressure from habitat loss due to drainage of marshlands, overgrazing and the use of pesticides in agriculture.  In 2012 its status was downgraded from “vulnerable” to “endangered” by the IUCN.  

Have a good weekend, keep fighting the good fight, and remember that sometimes the best you can do is take care of yourself.

Links: https://tinyurl.com/2s3dzds2, https://tinyurl.com/2jevs9hy, https://tinyurl.com/rkxbcmsa, https://tinyurl.com/2bz3mhny, https://tinyurl.com/26832xub, https://tinyurl.com/4278z33m