Cranes of Africa

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Cranes may be found in nearly every African nation, but are most common in sub-Saharan Africa. Ancestral crowned cranes date back at least 50 million years. They once inhabited Europe and North America, but as the climate cooled they became extinct in those regions. Four species of crane call Africa home year round. The Demoiselle Crane winters in Africa and spends the warmer season in Asia. The Eurasian crane (see Cranes of Eurasia) spends winter in northern regions of the continent.

Black Crowned Crane (Balearica pavonina)

Grey Crowned Crane (Balearica regulorum)

This stunningly beautiful bird is honored as the National Bird of Nigeria and is legally protected in that nation.
There are two subspecies: the West African Crowned Crane and the Sudan Crowned Crane
Feather colors: grey, black, white and copper brown.
Range: Grasslands and wetlands of Sahel nations from The Gambia to Eritrea.

A close relative of the Black Crowned Crane, the Grey Crowned Crane is the National Bird of Uganda.
Grey Crowned Cranes range includes the wetlands and grasslands of East Africa from Uganda to the Republic of South Africa, with small populations in Angola and Namibia.
Feather colors: grey, black, white and copper-brown.
Less than 90,000 remain in the wild.

Black Crowned Cranes are distinguished mainly by their crown of golden feathers, pink and white cheek patch, short dark bill and a smaller wattle than grey crowned crane
Threats: desertification, industrial waste, pollution, pesticides, agricultural operations and exotic species collectors.
Less than 40,000 remain in the wild.

They are distinguished by the crown of golden feathers, white cheek patch, short dark bill. The Grey Crowned Crane has a red neck patch, while the Black Crowned Crane's has a red cheek patch. This crane roosts in trees, while most other cranes do not.
Threats: agricultural operations and drainage of wetlands.

Blue Crane (Anthropoides paradisea)

Wattled Crane (Bugeranus carunculatus)

The Blue Crane is National Bird of the Republic of South Africa. It is considered sacred and only Zulu kings are permitted to wear their feathers. Blue Cranes feathers are grey and white .

The Wattled Crane feathers are grey, black, white and brown and as the photo shows, appears in the wattled pattern from which their name derives. It is the largest of the Africa cranes
They have the longest incubation period of any of the cranes (33-36 days).

Blue Cranes range includes the dry grasslands of Republic of South Africa and Namibia.
Distinguishing features of this bird are that it will puff its head feathers when aroused, making the shape of the hood of a cobra. It has a yellow bill and is one of two species of crane lacking a red head patch. The underwing feathers extend almost to the ground and are often mistaken for tail feathers.
Threats: agricultural operations, power line collisions residential resorts and agricultural poisoning..
Less than 20,000 remain in the wild.

Threats: agricultural operations, powerline collisions, collectors, draining wetlands and as a food source.
They range from the highland grasslands of Tanzania to the Republic of South Africa, with an isolated group in the highlands of Ethiopia.
Less than 8,000 remain in the wild.

Demoiselle Crane (Anthropoides virgo)

The Demoiselle Crane has grey and black feathers, with white tuft of feathers behind its ears . This species also lacks a red head patch.
Their summer home is in central Asia from Manchuria to Southwestern Russia. The bird winters in India, Pakistan, Sudan and Chad.

Demoiselle cranes are the smallest of the cranes.
They regularly fly over the Himalaya Mountains during migration at altitudes exceeding 26,000 feet.
Threats: hunting (in Pakistan).
They are the third most abundant species of crane.

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