Why it represents the country
The grey crowned crane, known in Uganda as the crested crane, is at the heart of the country's national symbols. When Uganda became independent on 9 October 1962, it adopted a flag of six horizontal stripes in black, yellow and red, with a white disc in the center showing a crested crane. The crane also stands beside the shield on the national coat of arms, facing a Uganda kob, a kind of antelope, on the other side.
The crane was a symbol of the country even before independence. From 1914 the badge of the British protectorate of Uganda showed a crested crane, and the bird was kept when the national flag was designed. It is widely regarded as the national bird, and the national football team is nicknamed the Cranes.
The form of the species that lives in Uganda is the East African crowned crane, and the grey crowned crane is most numerous in Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania. With its golden crown and lively dancing, it has become one of the country's best-loved birds.
About the animal
The grey crowned crane is a tall, elegant bird, about 1 meter long and weighing 3 to 4 kilograms. Its body is mostly pearly grey, and its wings are largely white with feathers of brown and gold. On its head is a crown of stiff, golden feathers. It has a bare white cheek patch with some red above it and a red, inflatable pouch of skin under its chin. Males and females look alike, although males are slightly larger.
Unlike most cranes, crowned cranes can perch and roost in trees. A long hind toe lets them grip branches, and sleeping in trees helps them avoid predators on the ground. They eat both plants and animals, including grass seeds, insects, worms, frogs and lizards. They often walk near cattle to catch the insects the animals disturb, and they also eat grain such as maize.
Pairs appear to stay together for life. Their courtship is a lively dance: the birds call with their throat pouches puffed up, bob their heads, spread their wings and leap into the air. Either bird can start the dance, and cranes sometimes dance outside the breeding season too. They build a large, round nest of plants in or near shallow water, hidden in tall vegetation. The female lays 2 to 4 eggs, more than most cranes, and both parents take turns sitting on them for about a month.
The chicks can swim within about 12 hours of hatching and soon follow their parents to look for food. They can fly at around two to three months old and then join groups of other young cranes. In the wild, grey crowned cranes can live for more than 20 years.
Conservation
The grey crowned crane is listed as Endangered on the IUCN Red List. It was moved up from Vulnerable in 2012 because its numbers were falling quickly, and the world population has been estimated at between about 58,000 and 77,000 birds.
The greatest threat is the loss of wetlands, which are drained or damaged for farming, grazing and building. Cranes also suffer from disturbance by people, collisions with power lines and poisoning, which can be accidental or deliberate when birds feed on crops. In some areas, eggs are collected and young and adult birds are captured for the illegal trade in live cranes.
Conservation groups such as the International Crane Foundation work with communities in Uganda and other countries to protect breeding wetlands, reduce conflict with farmers and stop the illegal trade. Protecting the wetlands where cranes nest also protects many other kinds of wildlife that share them.
Fun facts
- Grey crowned cranes are one of only two crane species that can roost in trees.
- Crowned crane chicks can swim within about 12 hours of hatching.
- Uganda's national football team is nicknamed the Cranes after the bird on the national flag.
Frequently asked questions
What is the national bird of Uganda?
The national bird of Uganda is the grey crowned crane (a widely recognized national symbol, not set by law). The grey crowned crane is a tall, pearly grey bird with a crown of stiff golden feathers, and it appears in the white disc at the center of Uganda's flag and beside the shield on the coat of arms.
Which country has the grey crowned crane as its national bird?
The grey crowned crane is the national bird of Uganda. The grey crowned crane is also known as crested crane, African crowned crane or East African crowned crane.
Why is the grey crowned crane the national bird of Uganda?
The grey crowned crane, known in Uganda as the crested crane, was a symbol of the country even before independence: from 1914 it appeared on the badge of the British protectorate of Uganda, and it was kept when the national flag was designed for independence in 1962. Shown on both the flag and the coat of arms, it is widely regarded as the national bird, and the national football team is nicknamed the Cranes.
Is the grey crowned crane endangered?
The grey crowned crane is listed as Endangered on the IUCN Red List; it was moved up from Vulnerable in 2012 because its numbers were falling quickly. The greatest threat is the loss of wetlands, which are drained or damaged for farming, grazing and building.
Where does the grey crowned crane live?
Wetlands, marshes and nearby grassland and farmland in eastern and southern Africa.
Sources
- Encyclopaedia Britannica. Crowned crane.
- IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Balearica regulorum (assessment 2024).
- Conservation status: IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.
