East African Crowned Crane
Although the species remains common over much of its range, it faces widespread and increasing threats to its habitat due to drainage, livestock overgrazing, and heavy pesticide applications. Other threats include hunting and live-trapping.
Nesting usually occurs in wetlands where the vegetation is of a significant height to conceal the cranes on their nests.
Crowned Cranes have the largest average clutch size (2-5) of any cranes. Incubation is undertaken by both sexes and lasts 28-31 days. While rearing chicks, adult birds will sometimes hide their young in wetlands in the evening, and then fly to roost in trees. Chicks fledge (leave the nest) at 56-100 days.