The current coat of arms of Sudan was adopted in 1969. It shows a secretary bird bearing a shield from the time of Muhammad ibn Abdalla, a self proclaimed Mahdi who briefly ruled Suadn in the 19th Century. Two scrolls are placed on the arms, the one above the secretary bird diplays the national motto, 'Al-masr lina', and the one below dispalys the title of the state, 'Al-Jamhuriya as-Sudaniya'. Coat of arms of Sudan. ... 1969 (MCMLXIX) was a common year starting on Wednesday For other uses, see Number 1969. ... Binomial name Sagittarius serpentarius (Miller,JF, 1779) The Secretary Bird, Sagittarius serpentarius, is an extraordinary member of the bird of prey family. ... Muhammad Ahmad ibn as Sayyid Abd Allah (1844 - June 22, 1885) was a Muslim religious leader, a faqir, in the Anglo-Egyptian Sudan. ... The Mahdi (Arabic: مهدي, also transliterated as: Mehdi or Mihdi; translated as: guided one), in Islamic eschatology, is the prophecied redeemer of Islam, who will change the world into a perfect society before Yaum al-Qiyamah (the Day of Resurrection or the end times). ... Here is a list of state mottos for countries and their subdivisions around the world. ...