Black Crowned Crane

Balearica pavonina

The Black Crowned Crane is a bird in the crane family Gruidae. It was once called also Kaffir Crane. It occurs in dry savannah in Africa south of the Sahara, although in nests in somewhat wetter habitats. There are two subspecies: "B. p. pavonina" in the west and the more numerous "B. p. ceciliae" in east Africa.
Black-crowned Cranes calling to reinforce the pair bond Felt very fortunate to see this pair Balearica pavonina,Black Crowned Crane,Lake Ziway,Oromia,Rift Valley

Appearance

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 why the relatively small "Balearica" cranes are believed to closely resemble the ancestral members of the Gruidae. It is about 1 m long, has a 1.87 m wingspan and weighs about 3.6 kg.
The missing piece Balearica pavonina,Beekse bergen,Black Crowned Crane

Food

Like all cranes, the Black Crowned Crane eats grass, insects, reptiles, and small mammals. It is endangered, especially in the west, by habitat loss and degradation.

References:

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Status: Vulnerable
EX EW CR EN VU NT LC
Taxonomy
KingdomAnimalia
DivisionChordata
ClassAves
OrderGruiformes
FamilyGruidae
GenusBalearica
SpeciesB. pavonina
Photographed in
Ethiopia
Netherlands