The Black-necked Cranes (Grus nigricollis) is a large, whitish-gray crane. It is also known as the Tibetan Crane.
Description
It has a black head and upper neck apart from a whitish postocular patch (bare skin patch behind the eye) and a red crown patch. It has black primaries (longest wing feathers) and secondaries (shorter, upper “arm” feathers).
Distribution / Range
Breeding Range:
Tibetan Plateau, with a small population in adjacent Ladakh, India. Breeds near the High Altitude Lakes of Ladakh such as Tso Kar Lake.
Wintering Range:
Usually winters at lower altitudes in:
- China (including Caohai Lake)
- Bhutan
- India
Population:
Estimated to be between 5,600 and 6,000 individuals.
Status:
Current threats include the cultivation of its breeding grounds and the opening up of the Ladakh Valley to tourism.
The Black-necked Cranes species is legally protected in China, India and Bhutan.
