Unpacking the Crane, after which Uganda Cranes is named
The Uganda national flags are flying high at the Cairo International, alongside those of Democratic Republic of Congo, the football team we will be playing against in a couple of hours.
In the middle of the black, yellow and red patterns of the national flag, stands the Uganda Crane, Uganda national symbol, after which our football team is named.
The football team’s jersey is designed with the flag colours that bear out the Uganda Crane in the middle. It is subspecies of the Grey-crowned Crane, an attraction you will find in a number of tourism destinations in the Pearl of Africa.
It was only befitting for the national team to take a name a bird given its representation of Uganda and Ugandans’ courteous and bubbly culture embedded in its character traits of dancing, bowing, and jumping.
Uganda, dubbed the capital of entertainment, has a lively nightlife where patrons partake of club, lounge and nightclub experiences that constitute of good music in swanky hangouts where an array of drinks and culinary options are readily accessible.
Tourists are welcome to the country to enjoy the revving entertainment and also to visit the countryside for excursions that will lead them to lakes and rivers where the Crested Crane is found.
Closer to Kampala, local and international explorers can find the Crane at Uganda Wildlife Education Conservation Centre, formerly known as Entebbe Zoo, which is about an hour from Kampala.
It can also be found in Queen Elizabeth National Park where it gracefully grazes in the open savannah tropical grasslands too. Some of the features you will identify it with include its light blue eyes, bright red neck, and particularly interesting plumage on its head make it an instant fascination for many people when first discovering it.
The bird enjoys vicinities of waters bodies that create fertile marshes rich with wildlife.
As Uganda Cranes go against DR Congo, Zimbabwe, Egypt and hopefully more fellow African football teams, we hope they can take on the trait of rising against contenders to break the 41-year jinx of displaying game tactic that can propel them to the finals. Hooray to the Uganda Cranes!
