A crane with a golden crown of stiff feathers. Adults have a dark body and red and white cheek patches.
It has a short grey bill and black legs. Juveniles have a brownish head and lack the conspicuous cheek patches of adults.
Black Crowned Cranes feed on seeds, insects and small animals in African wetlands and grasslands. Pairs perform duets associated with their bond and territory.
A 2019 conservation strategy describes Senegalese parents hiding chicks in wetlands or river islands while travelling to rice fields to forage. Sheltered young and parental feeding areas form a connected landscape.
Water changes and disturbance by people and livestock affect breeding habitat. Conservation links wetland protection with agricultural landscapes and community cooperation.
IUCN Red List (conservation institution account) · Vulnerable · Global
Wetland loss, illegal capture, poisoning and disturbance are threats. ICF describes surveys, community-based wetland work and protection of important Ethiopian wetland sites.