Socio cultural significance
of the national bird for
Uganda – the Grey
Crowned Crane
By Jimmy Muheebwa
Project Coordinator - Crane and
Wetland Conservation in Uganda
Jimmy.muheebwa@natureuganda.org /
jimmy.muheebwa@gmail.com
+256 772 550 177
The Grey Crowned Crane features
Background; Taxonomy:
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Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Gruiformes
Family: Gruidae
Genus: Balearica
Species: B. regulorum
National significance
National Bird for
Uganda –
On flag, money
National foot ball
Team, Bank,
schools …
Three colours of the
flag – Black, Yellow and Red
Cranes of the world
1. Black Crowned Cranes (Balearica pavonina)
2. Black-necked Cranes (Grus nigricollis)
3. Blue Cranes (Anthropoides paradisea)
4. Brolgas (Grus rubicunda)
5. Demoiselle Cranes (Anthropoides virgo)
6. Eurasian Cranes (Grus grus)
7. Grey Crowned Cranes (Balearica regulorum)
8. Hooded Cranes (Grus monacha)
9. Red-crowned Cranes (Grus japonensis)
10. Sandhill Cranes (Grus canadensis)
11. Sarus Cranes (Grus antigone)
12. Siberian Cranes (Grus leucogeranus)
13. Wattled Cranes (Bugeranus carunculatus)
14. White-naped Cranes (Grus vipio)
15. Whooping Cranes (Grus americana)
Distribution of Grey Crowned
Cranes in Uganda
Distribution across districts in
Uganda
Population estimates
 Estimate for Uganda (Pomeroy, 1989)
- 25,000 - 35,000
 Current estimate (Muheebwa, 2003)
= 13,000 – 20,000
 A decline of 41 - 53% (Beilfuss et al,
2007).
 Uganda plays host to about 28% of
the global Grey Crowned Crane
population
Population trend
Uganda LPI - updated with new crane data
2
1.8
1.6
1.4
index value
1.2
1
0.8
0.6
0.4
0.2
0
1970
1975
1980
1985
1990
year
1995
2000
2005
2010
Animals as totems in Uganda
Ng’ali
Nyonyi nyange
Grey Crowned Crane
Cattle egret
Namung’oona
Ndiisa
Nte
Nsenene
Mpologoma
Njovu
Nkima
Nkula
Pied Crow
Wagtail
Cow
Grasshopper
Lion
Elephant
Colobus monkey
Rhinoceros
Birds & beliefs in Africa
 The ground horn bill - The Zulu communities strongly
believe that it is a bird that has the power to bring down
rain. When it appears the people of the community will
expect heavy rains. Conservation +++
 Casqued hornbill – believed to be a bird of bad omen and
people fear killing/ harming it = Conservation +++
 The Hamerkop – Believed to possess the power to burn.
It is believed that if one abuses / destroy's hamerkop nest
their home will burn down. Conservation +++.
 The Owl it is closely associated to witchcraft. It is a bird
that only appears at night. None is happy to have this bird
sitting on their roof. When this bird is sitting within one's
premises at night it is believed that it is sent by somebody
to perform witchcraft = Conservation +++
Cranes and Communities in Uganda
Naming: Grey Crowned Crane - Balearica regulorum
 Entuuha/ Entuuhe – Runyankore/ Rukiga
 Engaali – Luganda (Central Uganda)
 Wawalu – Gishu/ Lunyole (Eastern Uganda)
 Walu – Madi / Langi (Northern Uganda)
Wetland management committees and crane custodians
(local cadres) enhance crane conservation by caring for
cranes, awareness, wetland habitat restoration to
enhance breeding success
 Evidence of tolerance of cranes and nests on privately
owned land/ farms
Cranes elsewhere in the world
 Cranes in Japanese textiles generally
represent longevity and good fortune.
 They are most closely associated with
Japanese New Year and wedding
ceremonies – for example the crane is
often woven into a wedding kimono
which is a special wish
 It also represents fidelity, as Japanese
cranes are known to mate for life.
Cranes in Asia
In Asian - Chinese cultures,
the elegant crane is a
symbol of health and
longevity - precious
qualities that people hope
to enjoy during their lives
= Conservation +++
Traditional art forms,
including wood carving,
fabric making, pottery and
ceramics utilize a crane
motif that instantly sends
a message of good luck to
the happy recipient –
Conservation +++
Cranes and people in Uganda
Intricate folklore interwoven with cultures
 Totem and cultural symbol / totem e.g. for
the Bahinda clan = Conservation+++
 Time teller (circadian clock)
 Revered as a bird of good omen but
believed to cast a bad spell if hurt (this
has increased its domestication!!=
Conservation --- )
 A symbol of fidelity – practices monogamy
and faithfulness - flagship indicator for
faithfulness in the HIV/ AIDS era =
Conservation+++
Grey Crowned cranes,
environment & the economy
 Grey Crowned Cranes are indicators of
environmental health
 Great aesthetic value - tourism attraction
potential
 Birds (cranes inclusive) are probably the
biggest foreign exchange earner in Uganda
– birding circuits. Uganda was named the
best birding destination in the world 2012
Cranes and the economy – cont’d
 Tourism is the leading foreign exchange
earner generating about $1 billion (2012)
 1006 bird species recorded in Uganda
 Birding constitutes a big proportion of
tourism – (Uganda has11% of the world
bird species & 50% of Africa bird species)
 $6 million reaped from birding based
tourism (2008)
Dangers to cranes in Uganda
Threats to cranes in Uganda
Crane conservation in Uganda
 Legislation - The GCC is the national bird for
Uganda and its conservation is enshrined in: The
Constitution (1995), The Uganda Wildlife Policy
(1999) = protected as other species
 Cultural – beleifs associated to the bird –
Conservation +++
 Conservation projects (NGOs) – awareness,
monitoring, alternatives to use of breeding
habitats in Uganda, mitigating crane removal from
the wild = Conservation +++
Partnerships in crane and
wetland conservation project
Thank you!