The Grey Crowned Crane is the most numerous and well known crane in Africa. This striking crane is even considered sacred in some areas, and is the national bird of Uganda.

The Grey Crowned Crane is unusual among cranes because it is one of the few cranes that have the ability to roost in trees. The only other crane known to exhibit this behavior is the Black Crowned Crane. The Grey Crowned crane eats a varied diet and for this reason is often referred to as a "generalist". Their non-picky dietary preferences may have contributed to their relatively large populations. There are two known sub-species of this crane - the East African Crowned Crane (Balearica regulorum gibbericeps) and the South African Crowned Crane (Balearica regulorum regulorum). In the wild, Grey Crowned Cranes typically live in pairs, though larger groups are not uncommon. Flocks as large as 200 have been reported.

The Grey Crowned Crane is often confused with the Black Crowned crane. The easiest way to distinguish between the species is to examine the necks. The neck region of the Grey Crowned Crane is significantly lighter than that of the Black Crowned Crane. Both of these Crowned Crane species are noted for the glorious yellow crown of feathers that adorn their heads. The Grey Crowned Crane has white cheek patches. The subspecies of the Grey Crowned Crane can be distinguished by differences in the bare area above their cheek patches. The East African Crowned Crane has a larger bare patch than the South African.

The Grey Crowned Crane is a non-migratory bird that is only found in Africa. The East African Crowned Crane is the most numerous Grey Crowned Crane, and is commonly found in many regions of East Africa including eastern Zaire, Kenya, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Namibia and northern Uganda. The South African Crowned Crane is less numerous and is seen in South Africa, as its name might suggest, and Zimbabwe and South Africa. Although this species is not as endangered as the Black Crowned Crane, its numbers have declined. The main causes for the population decline of the Grey Crowned Crane is habitat destruction and serious draught. They are also commonly hunted and captured for use as domestic animals.

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The Grey Crowned Crane is often seen nesting in wetlands of its native Africa. The large circlular nests of the Grey Crowned Crane are found on the ground. The average Grey Crowned Crane reaches sexual maturity at two to three years of age, though three years is most common. After breeding the female will lay her clutch of 2 to 3 eggs, which takes 28 to 31 days to incubate. Clutch sizes are often influenced by altitude, and it has been reported that this crane produces the largest average clutch sizes of all the different crane species. Babies will reach their fledgling period between 56 and 100 days.