EarlyBird256 and the African Crested Crane

Reasons why we love the Crested Crane. In addition to being the National bird of Uganda, The Crested Crane is our number one bird of choice because it embodies the essence of the safe space that we are manifesting for the girls. 

The Crested Crane is a beautiful bird mostly found in the swamps of East Africa. The majestic bird has a distinct look, a bright crown, blue eyes, black, yellow and red wings that span to a height of up to 6ft. They fold one leg up as a way to keep their bodies warm, that is why the Cranes are always standing on one leg and can be seen on the Uganda flag as well as the coat of arms. 

Although the Crested Crane is the National Bird, it is on the endangered list because of the active human activities that drain the swamp areas that they thrive in. Additionally, the Crested Cranes are considered as pests in agricultural areas because they tend to eat away the crops. Regardless, there is still plenty to celebrate about the Crane. 

Just like humans, the Crested Crane’s diet falls under the “omnivore” category: they eat a combination of both meat and plants. This includes a mix of leaves, seeds from different plants as well as insects, worms and frogs. The Crested Cranes are known to also eat small fish, snakes. 

Other human similarities, the Crested Cranes love to dance. Although most birds are known to show their rhythm, they use dance as a breeding display that involves various jumping and bows. They however have been known to be seen dancing at any time of year, even during non-breeding periods. 

The birds love to dance! 

In addition to dance, the Crested Cranes practice monogamy. They find a partner while they are young  and they will remain breeding partners for life. They raise their young ones together until they are old enough to start their own families. Their eggs hatch in about 30 days and are ready to breed when they reach 3 years of age. The lifespan of a Crested Crane is 22 years making it promising for researchers looking into getting their population back to normal. 

We build the EarlyBird space with the same grace of the Crested Crane, taking it one day at a time, building relationships with communities  that we want to sustainably last and resting up one leg when the call for self care is made. 

We want the girls, just like the Crested Cranes to have space to be, to dance and as well as feed their bodies with the nutritions they need.