Black crowned crane 2 by Kordouane

Photography • Animals • posted on Aug 10, 2018

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Description

This species and the closely related grey crowned crane, B. regulorum, which prefers wetter habitats for foraging, are the only cranes that can nest in trees. This habit, amongst other things, is a reason the relatively small Balearica cranes are believed to closely resemble the ancestral members of the Gruidae. It is about 1 m (3.3 ft) long, has a 1.87 m (6.2 ft) wingspan and weighs about 3.6 kg (8 lbs). Like all cranes, the black crowned crane eats insects, reptiles, and small mammals. It is endangered, especially in the west, by habitat loss and degradation.