Behaviour This species is not migratory although it may make variable local and seasonal movements depending on the abundance and distribution of food, nest-sites and rainfall (Archibald et al. 2020). The timing of breeding varies in relation to the rains, with the breeding of East African populations peaking during dry periods, but with the breeding of populations in the drier parts of southern Africa peaking during wet periods (del Hoyo et al. 1996, Archibald et al. 2020). The species nests in solitary territorial pairs (Urban et al. 1986, Hockey et al. 2005) but often flocks together and roosts communally at night (Archibald et al. 2020, Hockey et al. 2005) in groups of up to 20-200 individuals (Urban et al. 1986) during dry periods in the drier part of its range (e.g. Namibia and South Africa) (Archibald et al. 2020). The abundance and distribution of food and suitable nesting sites are the key ecological factors determining the size of the home range of this species and the extent of local and seasonal population movements (Meine and Archibald 1996, Archibald et al. 2020). Habitat The species inhabits wetlands such as marshes, pans and dams with tall emergent vegetation, riverbanks, open riverine woodland, shallowly flooded plains and temporary pools with adjacent grasslands, open savannas, croplands, pastures, fallow fields and irrigated areas (Urban et al. 1986, del Hoyo et al. 1996, Meine and Archibald 1996, Hockey et al. 2005, Archibald et al. 2020). It shows a preference for short to medium height open grasslands adjacent to wetlands for foraging, and breeds within or at the edges of wetlands especially in marshes with water around a meter deep and with emergent vegetation a meter above the water (Urban et al. 1986, Meine and Archibald 1996). It has also more recently been observed feeding in landfill sites in Uganda (Archibald et al. 2020). It roosts in water along rivers or in marshes, or perches on nearby trees or on utility line posts (Urban et al. 1986, Meine and Archibald 1996, Archibald et al. 2020). A Maxent-modelling study showed that while wetlands are important for the species in Uganda, temperature seasonality can also be important (Stabach et al. 2009). Diet The species is a generalist, its diet consisting of seed heads (e.g. of sedges Cyperus spp.), new tips of grasses (Archibald et al. 2020), agricultural pulses, nuts and grain (Meine and Archibald 1996), insects (Orthoptera, larval Lepidoptera), frogs, lizards and crabs Potamon spp. (Archibald et al. 2020). Breeding site The nest is a circular platform of uprooted grasses and sedges (Archibald et al. 2020) concealed in tall emergent vegetation (greater than one meter in height) (Urban et al. 1986, Meine and Archibald 1996) in or along the margins of wetlands such as marshes (Archibald et al. 2020) with water approximately 50-100 cm deep (Urban et al. 1986, Archibald et al. 2020, Wamiti et al. 2022). The species may also rarely nest in trees (Archibald et al. 2020).

Balearica regulorum occurs in eastern and southern Africa, with B. r. gibbericeps occurring from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Rwanda, Uganda and Kenya south through Tanzania and Zambia to northern Mozambique, with small numbers in Angola, Burundi, Malawi and very small numbers in South Sudan. Nominate race B. r. regulorum found from southern Mozambique south through Zimbabwe to South Africa and west in small numbers to Namibia and very small numbers in Botswana. 

Conservation Actions Underway
CITES Appendix II. Community-based wetland conservation projects have been undertaken in Kenya, with some captive breeding populations established (ARKive 2010, Morrison 2014). The international single species action plan was revised by Wetlands International / IUCN Crane Specialist Group, and endorsed at the AEWA MoP in November 2015 (Morrison 2015). Monitoring occurs in at least parts of its range by the International Waterbird Census (>10 records received in >50% of the years that the census has been running in the relevant region); in Botswana by BirdLife Botswana; in South Africa, Grey Crowned Cranes are monitored through the Avifaunal Road Counts coordinated by the Animal Demographic Unit at the University of Cape Town and through annual aerial surveys conducted by the EWT and Ezemvelo KwaZulu-Natal Wildlife over the range of the species in KwaZulu-Natal, and in Zambia regular surveys for cranes are conducted in Lochinvar, Blue Lagoon, Kafue, South Luangwa, Chikuni, Nsumbu and Liuwa National Parks (K. Morrison in litt. 2016). In Kenya, countrywide censuses of the species started in 2020 (Wamiti et al. 2020, Wamiti et al. 2023). Crane Conservation Volunteers and NABU (BirdLife Germany) have conducted crane surveys and community outreach around Lake Ol’ Bolossat in the central parts of Kenya since 2016 (C. Craig and L. Jordan in litt. 2024). In Zimbabwe Local Community Conservation Groups/Site Support Groups in Driefontein Grasslands are actively involved in raising the awareness of this species (T. Fakarayi in litt. 2016), and in Rwanda conservation efforts of the International Crane Foundation have started around Rugezi Marsh (Beilfuss and Morrison 2012), with annual national censuses for the species having started in 2017 (Nsengimana 2020). Local awareness-raising and community-based crane conservation projects, and the associated fundraising for these projects are being undertaken in many countries across the species' range, including in Kenya, Rwanda, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe (Morrison and Dodman 2019). The International Crane Foundation in partnership with the Endangered Wildlife Trust also monitor crane supply and trade routes and address issues relating to crane trade through the African Crane Trade Project (Morrison and Dodman 2019). This species is listed as Endangered in South Africa, Lesotho and Swaziland, and Uganda, and Critically Endangered in Namibia (Morrison and Smith 2015, Simmons 2015, WCS 2016). Protected areas benefit the species, particularly in Zambia, and South Africa, Kenya and Uganda have developed community-based and stewardship methods to encourage landowners to protect and conserve areas for the species (Morrison and Dodman 2019) .

Conservation Actions Proposed
Continue to conduct and increase standardised and coordinated surveys to monitor the species' total population size and trends over time. Continue researching the use of drones for improved population size monitoring and surveys, and establish species-specific protocols for such methods (Demmer et al. 2023). Continue to research their behaviour and ecology. Continue researching the factors that influence the population dynamics of the species. Monitor human-crane conflict in agricultural cropland and explore methods of mitigating these conflicts. Research the impact and extent of poisoning of the species. Discourage hunting and irresponsible pesticide use through awareness campaigns. Raise awareness of this species and promote land use practices beneficial for the species. Continue to gain understanding on the land available for and needed to conserve the species. Consider fundraising for purchase of land to create co-managed crane nature reserves. Monitor rates of habitat loss and degradation, increase the protection of suitable habitat and attempt to restore suitable habitat. Monitor levels of hunting and capture pressure, as well as levels and market chains of trade. Determine size of captive population and source of birds (C. Craig and L. Jordan in litt. 2024). Improve species protection and increase enforcement of hunting and trade legislation. Continue and extend captive breeding efforts. Monitor long-term urbanisation and infrastructure plans and energy development to understand potential future impacts on the species. Research future impact of climate change on the species and/or habitats (Morrison and Dodman 2019).