The Crested Crane: Uganda’s symbol of beauty and serenity

It walks with grace and serenity, as though the life of the country it symbolises, depends on its every step. The Crested Crane – chosen as Uganda’s Crest (national symbol) nearly 100 years ago, is one of the most cherished birds in the country.

The Grey Crowned Crane, scientifically known as Balearica regulorum gibbericeps, inhabited Uganda’s swamps and fields long before the coming of tribes in our territory.

The unusual gracefulness of the Crowned Crane, aptly typifying the country and its people, attracted then Governor of Uganda -Sir Frederick Jackson who, in 1893, chose it to embellish the Union Jack with its exquisite form and heraldic dignity.

Sir Frederick was a famous ornithologist who surrounded himself with the beautiful cranes at the government House in Entebbe which he could feed from his own hands.

In a dispatch from the Secretary of State of the British Empire to the Governor of the Uganda Protectorate there appears the sentence: “His Majesty (George V) has approved of the Golden Crested Crane being likewise adopted as the Badge to be inserted on the flags flown by the Governor of Uganda and all vessels belonging to the Government of the Protectorate.”

Another naturalist, Sir Harry Johnstone, Deputy Commissioner in the Uganda Government at the turn of the century, more than likely influenced Sir Frederick in his choice of the Crowned Crane Emblem. As a token of his great admiration for the birds of Uganda, Sir Harry left a painting in his collection of a group of Crested Cranes. This painting majestically hanged in the Governor’s office.

The Crane is definitely an object of great beauty. It is a tall bird standing well over three feet, on long-slender black legs. Its neck is almost as long as its legs and towards the base, pointed pearl-grey feathers are elongated to form an ornamental fringe.

The tail feathers, comparatively short, are the colour of dried straw. When at rest, the Crowned Crane seems to be enveloped in a cape of exquisite delicacy with its multi-coloured head where the three colours of the Uganda’s Flag (Black, Yellow, Red) seem to be represented. The conspicuous velvety black forehead, yellowish crest and the vivid bright red wattles, make the Crested Crane an elegant creature, befitting its emblematic role.

There are 16 different species of Cranes in the world, four of which are found in Africa, including the ‘great’ Grey Crowned Crane, the Uganda national symbol. All these willowy creatures in the world are in one way or another, facing unfavourable conditions brought about by their ‘greatest friend’, Man, who works for their ‘survival and protection’.

Crowned Cranes generally inhabit dry and wet open areas including marshes, damp fields, and open margins of lakes and rivers, but rarely associated with open waters. In Uganda, the Crowned Cranes prefer freshly-ploughed fields to grasslands and short to tall grass.

Their food consists of plant and animal matter including grass and sedge seeds, millet, rice, peas, corn, mollusks, crustaceans, insects (grasshoppers and flies), fish, amphibians and reptiles. They feed by rapidly pecking at food but they sometime uproot plants and rarely dig. They prefer seed heads of grasses and sedges.

Crowned Cranes are monogamous and pair for life. Though they may appear in flocks at a breeding area, they separate in pairs and nest singly controlling territories of about 1-1.5km2 defended by both sexes. They perform a series of courtship displays and excel in dancing, displaying their grace and beauty to the fullest. They twirl and curtsy to one another, with their wings wide open and held high above their backs. In this strange position, with the bill pointed skywards, it gives out a deep, booming love-call delivered from a fully inflated throat.

To the many different tribes of Africa, the call of the Crowned Crane suggests many word variations and the sounds are varied and full. Thus to a Muganda the call is Ng’aali; to a Swahili M’waari; to an Acholi, O’welo; to Zulu of South Africa, the sound is Maahem and the same sound is Muraaho to a Munyarwanda.

Different tribes and people have learnt through time how to interact with the Crane, and in most areas, the Crane helps to tell people the time of the day through their calls which are done at specific times of the day. They are regarded as the birds of joy and relaxation in most parts of the country. For instance, when people clap and sing a particular song, the Cranes dance by nodding their heads. This happens in all places where Cranes exist.

Crowned Cranes are known to breed in swamps but a combination of increasing human population and improved agricultural techniques is leading people to drain swamps often to grow rice in eastern Uganda, dairy farming and vegetable cultivation in south western Uganda. Eastern and south-western Uganda are the major critical areas for the survival of the Crane.

The level of human activity in swamps influences the ability of Cranes to care for the young and successful breeding. The loss of habitat, therefore, combined with the species low reproductive rate and frequent capture of young, raises concern about the Crane’s survival.

Since there are few tamed Cranes, one raises a question as to what happens to the many chicks that are captured. Many young die because of poor handling but those that survive are eventually sold.

Mr Paul Mafabi, who has researched intensively on Cranes especially in eastern Uganda, was approached on several occasions by individuals inquiring whether he was interested in buying Cranes, chicks and eggs. This was an obvious indication that somehow Cranes’ chicks and eggs are traded. Today, you are likely to see Cranes perched atop a road sign, pylons, rubbish dumps or airfields; indicating they are clearly running out of options.

Unfortunately, Crowned Cranes are not well represented in our Protected Area Systems, since there are few (if any) wetlands in protected areas in Uganda. Our national symbol is in great danger of complete loss of breeding and feeding grounds if no measures of protection are taken.

The ban on massive reclamation of wetlands of 1986 did give some relief to wetlands and Cranes but recent impunity in wetland reclamation could drive the species to extinction.

It is estimated that number of Grey Crowned Cranes in Uganda has reduced from more than 70,000 in 1970s to less than 10,000 in 2011. The global threat status declined from near-threatened to vulnerable to endangered in less than five years, and indication of global concern on the survival of Cranes in the region.

It is also estimated that the large number of the Cranes we see today are old individuals who may not survive beyond 15-20 years. NatureUganda together with government lead agencies, is developing a species action plan to help stem this precipitous decline.

There is no bird more truly representative of Uganda with its meadowlands and sparking green grass, than the Grey Crowned Crane. Throughout the country, there is not a natural sound more typical than the trumpeting of the Crested Cranes as they move to their feeding grounds or fly to the roosting sites in the dimming light of evening.

As we celebrate 50 years of independence, a complete ban on the capture, hunting and trade in our national symbol would go a long way in ensuring that plains and valleys of Uganda will continue to echo the booming love calls of the Crested Crane.

Continues Tomorrow.

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