Grey Crowned Crane
Balearica regulorum
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Cordats)
- ClassAves (Aus)
- OrderGruiformes (Cranes, Rails, and Allies)
- FamilyGruidae (Cranes)
- GenusBalearica (Crowned Cranes)
- SpeciesBalearica regulorum (Grey Crowned Crane)
The grey crowned crane or gray crowned crane (Balearica regulorum) is a large crane species native to Sub-Saharan Africa. It occurs mainly in dry savannah, although it nests in somewhat wetter habitats, and can also be found in marshes, cultivated lands and grassy flatlands near rivers and lakes. Its body plumage is mainly grey and it has white cheeks, a red throat patch, and a stiff golden crown. It is omnivorous, consuming a wide variety of animal and plant matter, including plants, seeds, grain, insects, frogs, worms, snakes, small fish and the eggs of aquatic animals. It is listed as endangered on the IUCN Red List. It is the national bird of Uganda. Wikipedia →
10–20% of wildlife watchers report a Grey Crowned Crane sighting in Kibale National Park, based on 328 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.
Closest Relatives at Kibale National Park
White-spotted Flufftail
Sarothrura pulchra
Black Crake
Amaurornis flavirostra
Buff-spotted Flufftail
Sarothrura elegans
Red-knobbed Coot
Fulica cristata
African Finfoot
Podica senegalensis
Allen's Gallinule
Porphyrio alleni
African Crake
Crex egregia
Western Swamphen
Porphyrio porphyrio
Red-chested Flufftail
Sarothrura rufa
Common Moorhen
Gallinula chloropus
📅 Monthly Probability
☀️ When They're Spotted
Most active during daytime hours (6am–6pm) · across all parks (global)
Global Distribution
Where this species is recorded worldwide. Restricted to human observations from 2019 onwards — the same kind of record and the same period the probabilities on this page are built from, so collar-tracking studies, camera-trap arrays and museum specimens are excluded. Around Santa Rosa that removes 5,924 GPS fixes from a handful of tagged jaguars.
where this species is recorded (GBIF density — it tracks where observers go, not how likely a sighting is) · parks where it occurs — tap a pin for the sighting probability there
Parks Where Found
Quick answers
What are the chances of seeing a Grey Crowned Crane in Kibale National Park?
About 17% of wildlife watchers report a Grey Crowned Crane sighting in Kibale National Park, based on 328 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.
When is the best time to see Grey Crowned Crane in Kibale National Park?
October has the highest sighting rate for Grey Crowned Crane in Kibale National Park in our monthly data.