FaunaHub
ENEndangeredPartial review

Grey Crowned Crane

Balearica regulorum

Grey crowned crane (Balearica regulorum), with a golden crown of feathers.

Grey crowned crane (Balearica regulorum).

Image: Francis C. Franklin, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

At a glance

IUCN category
EN · Endangered
Animal group
Birds
Population trend
Decreasing
FaunaHub record reviewed
Checked against IUCN
Matches source — IUCN's 2024 global assessment of Balearica regulorum says EndangeredChecked 2026-10-09 against IUCN's Red List export published 2026-07-28 · assessment

Conservation overview

The grey-crowned crane is a striking grey crane with a golden crown of feathers, the national bird of Uganda. It is assessed as Endangered.

It performs elaborate dancing displays.

Range & habitat

Wetlands and grasslands of eastern and southern Africa.

Major threats

Threats below are drawn from the authoritative sources listed on this page. For the current, complete assessment, see the IUCN Red List.

  • Loss and drainage of wetlands
  • Capture for the live-bird trade
  • Disturbance

Why it matters

A flagship of African wetlands and a national symbol, the grey-crowned crane is an indicator of the health of the marshes and grasslands it depends on.

Gallery

A grey crowned crane displaying its crest.

Grey crowned crane (Balearica regulorum).

Image: Luc Viatour, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

Sources

Sources for Grey Crowned Crane

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the grey-crowned crane's crown?
It has a spray of stiff golden feathers on its head, giving it a distinctive 'crown' — a feature that also makes it popular, and sadly targeted, in the captive-bird trade.
Why is the grey-crowned crane Endangered?
Published assessments cite the loss and drainage of wetlands, capture for the live-bird trade, and disturbance. See the IUCN Red List for the current assessment.