GREY CROWNED CRANE
Balearica regulorum

uNohemu (Zulu) Mahem (Afrikaans)

  HABITAT
The highlands and midlands of KwaZulu-Natal in marshes, vleis, moist grasslands and cultivated fields.

TYPE
A large crane with a spiky straw coloured crest. It has a grey body and a large white wing patch. The head is black with white cheeks and red wattles. The eyes are light grey and the bill, legs and feet are black.

FOOD
They are gregarious unless breeding and feed on frogs, reptiles, insects and fallen grain.

BREEDING
They nest from December to February in KwaZulu-Natal, making a large flattened mound of reeds, rushes and grass, well screened with vegetation in a marsh. There are usually two to three eggs which are a bluish colour covered in chalky white.

STATUS
Common resident.