Grey Crowned Crane.

Grey Crowned Crane (Balearica regulorum).

The Grey crowned crane is the national bird of Uganda, and can be  found in the country’s flag and coat of arms.

This species are the only cranes that can roost in trees, because of a long hind toe that can grasp branches.

The Grey Crowned Crane has a breeding display involving dancing, bowing, and jumping. It has a booming call which involves inflation of the red throat skin. It also makes a honking sound quite different from the trumpeting of other crane species.

The Grey Crowned Crane is about 1 m (3.3 ft.) tall and weighs 3.5 kg (7.7 lbs.). Its body plumage is mainly grey. The wings are also predominantly white, but contain feathers with a range of colours. The head has a crown of stiff golden feathers. The sides of the face are white, and there is a bright red inflatable throat pouch. The bill is relatively short and grey, and the legs are black.

Although the Grey Crowned Cranes remain common over much of their range, it faces threats to its habitat due to drainage, overgrazing, and pesticide pollution. In 2012 it was upgraded from Vulnerable to Endangered by the IUCN.