The crane's 'crown' is made of bright golden bristles, fanning out from the top of its head like a sunburst. Its face is white with red and white cheek patches. Its body is mostly grey, and when it spreads its wings, they show patches of white, black and brown. It is one of the most colourful birds in Africa.
Cranes pair up for life. A male and female crane stay together for many years and dance together to keep their bond strong. The dance is amazing to watch - they bow, leap into the air with their wings spread wide, and trumpet at each other in a loud, low call. Sometimes other cranes join in.
They are not just elegant - they are clever. Crowned cranes are one of the only crane species that can roost in trees, gripping branches with their long toes. Most cranes have to sleep standing in shallow water. The crowned crane can have the best of both worlds: water by day, trees by night.
In Rwanda, the crane is a symbol of grace and patience. You can see one on the Rwandan banknote and on the badge of several Rwandan sports teams. The bird is now protected by law - in the past, people sometimes kept cranes as pets, and the wild population dropped. Today, conservationists work to return any pet cranes to the wetlands.