Two Grey crowned cranes with golden crown

Deze blog post in het Nederlands (link)

Two grey crowned cranes with golden crown

Photo made in ‘de Oliemeulen’ zoo in Tilburg, the Netherlands – Sept. 22, 2014

“Grey crowned cranes (Balearica regulorum) are native to the dry savannah in Africa south of the Sahara, although it nests in somewhat wetter habitats. They can also be found in marshes, cultivated lands and grassy flatlands near rivers and lakes in eastern from the Uganda and Kenya, south to South Africa. This animal does not migrate.

The grey crowned crane has a breeding display involving dancing, bowing, and jumping. It has a booming call which involves inflation of the red gular sac. It also makes a honking sound quite different from the trumpeting of other crane species.

These cranes are omnivores, eating plants, seeds, grain, insects, frogs, worms, snakes, small fish and the eggs of aquatic animals. Stamping their feet as they walk, they flush out insects which are quickly caught and eaten. The birds also associate with grazing herbivores, benefiting from the ability to grab prey items disturbed by antelopes and gazelles. They spend their entire day looking for food. At night, the crowned crane spends it time in the trees sleeping and resting.

The grey crowned crane is the national bird of Uganda and features in the country’s flag and coat of arms.

Although the grey crowned crane remains common over much of its range, it faces threats to its habitat due to drainage, overgrazing, and pesticide pollution. In 2012 it was uplisted from vulnerable to endangered by the IUCN.” Source: Wikipedia