Two grey crowned crane chicks have hatched at Como Zoo in Saint Paul, marking the first time the facility has successfully raised offspring from this endangered species. The chicks, named Amani and Baraka, hatched inside the holding area of the zoo's giraffe building to parents Houdini and Mutambi, bringing the zoo's total grey crowned crane population from two to four.
The milestone comes after two years of disappointment for the breeding pair. Houdini and Mutambi were paired in 2023 under a breeding recommendation, and while they laid eggs in both 2024 and 2025, according to 5 EYEWITNESS NEWS, none of those previous clutches produced a surviving chick. This year's hatching represents Como Zoo's first successful grey crowned crane birth, according to the station's report.
Senior zookeeper Jill Erzar said the chicks are thriving so far. The station's report notes that Amani and Baraka are doing well and growing quickly, and have already started chasing down their own mealworms and crickets rather than relying solely on what their parents provide. Father bird Houdini has also been observed directly feeding worms to the chicks, per the same account.
Como Friends Members Chose the Names
The names carry meaning beyond the nursery. Como Friends supporters selected the names Amani and Baraka, with Amani meaning peace and Baraka meaning blessing in Swahili, as noted by Como Park Zoo & Conservatory. Como Friends is the zoo's nonprofit partner, and the Saint Paul institution draws more than 2 million visitors annually with free admission supported by municipal funding and that partnership, per the conservatory.
Right now, the chicks still look far from the striking adults they will become. They currently have tan and brown coloring, long legs, long necks and an overall awkward gait, per the station's report, a far cry from the golden crowns, grey bodies, white-and-gold wings and bright red throat pouches that distinguish adult grey crowned cranes. As precocial birds, the chicks were able to run shortly after hatching and eat a crumbled diet supplemented by mealworms and crickets, according to the conservatory.
Visitors hoping to catch a glimpse should temper expectations. Amani and Baraka will remain out of sight while they continue to grow, though guests might catch a rare glimpse of the pair through a mesh door in their holding area, per the station's report. The chicks will not venture outside until they are big enough to be safe from hawks and other predators, and Houdini himself is described as territorial and protective with zoo staff.
A Species Under Pressure in the Wild
The hatching lands amid a much larger story of decline for the species. Grey crowned cranes are native to eastern and southern Africa and are most abundant in Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania, with an estimated wild population of 29,500 to 36,000 birds that has been declining in recent years, according to the station's reporting. The International Union for Conservation of Nature formally uplisted the species from Vulnerable to Endangered in 2012, citing steep population drops driven by wetland drainage, agricultural expansion, egg collecting and illegal pet trade, according to Bird Conservation International.
The decline has been especially dramatic in Uganda, where the grey crowned crane is a national symbol. Wild populations there plummeted from an estimated 60,000 to 100,000 birds in the 1970s down to roughly 10,000 to 13,000 in recent years, according to the International Crane Foundation. The bird is featured prominently at the center of Uganda's national flag, coat of arms and currency, according to research published in the Open Journal of Ecology, and it is widely regarded there as a symbol of wetland health.
Zoos Coordinate a Breeding Safety Net
Como Zoo's success fits into a broader coordinated effort among accredited North American zoos. In 2021, the Association of Zoos and Aquariums established the SAFE: Saving Animals From Extinction Crowned Crane program to coordinate collaborative conservation for both grey crowned and black crowned cranes, pooling resources across institutions to manage genetic diversity in captivity while supporting habitat protection abroad. Houdini and Mutambi were themselves paired through this kind of breeding recommendation, part of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums Species Survival Plan.
Grey crowned cranes also carry a distinctive trait not shared by nearly any other crane species: a long hind toe that lets them grasp branches and roost overnight in trees, according to the conservatory. They're also known for loud honking calls rather than delicate chirping. The crane hatching follows another recent Species Survival Plan success at Como Zoo, where a baby Hoffman's two-toed sloth named Cusi was born in May to parents Sago and Ziggy, according to CBS News.
For now, Amani and Baraka remain tucked away in the giraffe building, growing under the watchful eyes of Erzar and the rest of the zoo's animal care staff. It's not yet known when the chicks' sexes will be determined through DNA testing or when they'll be large enough to join the zoo's outdoor exhibits alongside its zebras and tortoises.
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