Black-necked Crane

The black-necked crane is a medium-sized crane, about 139 cm long with a wingspan of about 235 cm and a weight of about 5.5 kg. It is whitish grey with a black head and upper neck, a naked dull red crown patch, black legs and primaries, and a small white patch behind the eye. Both sexes are similar. When foraging it keeps walking, and walks long distances between feeding spots (Wikipedia, general species account).

It breeds mainly on the high-altitude Tibetan Plateau and in remote parts of India and Bhutan, in alpine meadows, lakeside and riverine marshes and river valleys. The largest populations are in China, with smaller numbers extending into Vietnam, Bhutan and India, and small numbers have been noted in northern Sikkim. It is the state bird of Ladakh, and a festival in Bhutan celebrates it. Eggs are laid mainly in May and June in a nest that ranges from a scantily lined scratch to a structure of grass and rushes. SoIB 2023 rates it a Moderate conservation priority, with a Restricted range of about 15,000 km² (Wikipedia, general species account; SoIB 2023).