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80-640: The black-necked crane ( Grus nigricollis ) is a medium-sized crane in Asia that breeds on the Tibetan Plateau and remote parts of India and Bhutan . It is 139 cm (55 in) long with a 235 cm (7.71 ft) wingspan, and it weighs 5.5 kg (12 lb). It is whitish-gray, with a black head, red crown patch, black upper neck and legs, and white patch to the rear of the eye. It has black primaries and secondaries. Both sexes are similar. Some populations are known to make seasonal movements. It

160-444: A clutch of two eggs at a time. Both parents help to rear the young, which remain with them until the next breeding season. Most species of cranes have been affected by human activities and are at the least classified as threatened, if not critically endangered. The plight of the whooping cranes of North America inspired some of the first US legislation to protect endangered species . Cranes are very large birds, often considered

240-725: A molecular phylogenetic study by Carey Krajewski and collaborators that was published in 2010. Grey crowned crane ( Balearica regorum ) Black crowned crane ( Balearica pavonina ) Siberian crane ( Leucogeranus leucogeranus ) Sandhill crane ( Antigone canadensis ) White-naped crane ( Antigone vipio ) Brolga ( Antigone rubicunda ) Sarus crane ( Antigone antigone ) Wattled crane ( Grus carunculata ) Blue crane ( Grus paradisea ) Demoiselle crane ( Grus virgo ) Red-crowned crane ( Grus japonensis ) Whooping crane ( Grus americana ) Common crane ( Grus grus ) Hooded crane ( Grus monacha ) Black-necked crane ( Grus nigricollis ) The fossil record of cranes

320-637: A crane digging for them remains in place for some time digging and then expanding a hole to prise them out of the soil. In contrast both to this and the stationary wait and watch hunting methods employed by many herons, they forage for insects and animal prey by slowly moving forwards with their heads lowered and probing with their bills. Where more than one species of cranes exists in a locality, each species adopts separate niches to minimise competition. At one important lake in Jiangxi Province in China,

400-606: A few outreach clinics. Phobjikha hospital is located at Yuesa near the Phobjikha Central School. Phobjikha Valley trek is popular trekking that takes three days to complete and is part of the religious tourism and ecotourism that is promoted by the Government of Bhutan and other concerned NGO organizations. Gangtey treks are also popular tourist attractions in the Phobjikha Valley, which covers

480-455: A large proportion of cranes that are not territorial, breeding pairs. The cranes are diurnal birds that vary in their sociality by season and location. During the breeding season , they are territorial and usually remain on their territory all the time. In contrast in the non-breeding season, they tend to be gregarious, forming large flocks to roost, socialize, and in some species feed. Sarus Crane breeding pairs maintain territories throughout

560-467: A more conducive climate (during months of January and February) in the Wangdue Phodrang area, which is about 60 kilometres (37 mi) away by road. Two major ethnic groups reside within the valley. The major ethnic group of the people living in the valley has a special identity and their language is a dialect known as Henkha or Nyenkha (inferred to be archaic Tibetan ), a language under

640-561: A much wider range of trophic levels. Some crane species such as the Common/ Eurasian crane use a kleptoparasitic strategy to recover from temporary reductions in feeding rate, particularly when the rate is below the threshold of intake necessary for survival. Accumulated intake of during daytime shows a typical anti-sigmoid shape, with greatest increases of intake after dawn and before dusk. Cranes are perennially monogamous breeders, establishing long-term pair bonds that may last

720-611: A sixth. Australia, Europe, and North America have two regularly occurring species each. Of the four crane genera, Balearica (two species) is restricted to Africa, and Leucogeranus (one species) is restricted to Asia; the other two genera, Grus (including Anthropoides and Bugeranus ) and Antigone , are both widespread. Many species of cranes are dependent on wetlands and grasslands, and most species nest in shallow wetlands. Some species nest in wetlands, but move their chicks up onto grasslands or uplands to feed (while returning to wetlands at night), whereas others remain in wetlands for

800-668: A strong belief that the cliff actually contains a thousand statues. The Kumbu Lhakhang is located on the northern side of the Gangteng Gonpa. The temple was originally built as a bonpo temple by Zhabdrung Tshanden Dulwa in the thirteenth century. He was a bonpo lama. Another temple was founded by him at Sewagang in Nyisho in Wangdue Phodrang. The temple is believed to be the residing place of the Ma Sripa Gyalmo,

880-458: A type of large bird with long legs and necks in the biological family Gruidae of the order Gruiformes . The family has 15 species placed in four genera which are Antigone , Balearica , Leucogeranus , and Grus . They are large birds with long necks and legs, a tapering form, and long secondary feathers on the wing that project over the tail. Most species have muted gray or white plumages, marked with black, and red bare patches on

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960-564: Is revered in Buddhist traditions and culturally protected across much of its range. A festival in Bhutan celebrates the bird while the Indian union territory of Ladakh has designated it as the state bird. This medium-sized crane is mostly grey with a black head and neck. The lores and crown are naked and dull red. A small patch of white feathers are present below and behind the eye. The tail

1040-403: Is Γερανος ( geranos ), which gives us the cranesbill , or hardy geranium. The crane was a bird of omen. In the tale of Ibycus and the cranes, a thief attacked Ibycus (a poet of the sixth century BCE) and left him for dead. Ibycus called to a flock of passing cranes, which followed the attacker to a theater and hovered over him until, stricken with guilt, he confessed to the crime. Pliny

1120-593: Is also inhabited by nomadic shepherds and yak-herders. The ancient animistic religion of Bhutan namely, the Bon religion , is still practiced by some of the villagers. The picturesque Phobjika Valley, in the backdrop of the Black Mountain Range, has a rich biodiversity of flora and fauna. This, coupled with the religious importance of the Gangten Monastery, has attracted religious and ecotourism to

1200-592: Is black and makes it easy to distinguish at a distance from the similar looking common crane which has grey tail. The black-necked crane summers mainly in the high-altitude Tibetan Plateau. The breeding areas are alpine meadows, lakeside and riverine marshes and river valleys. They also make use of barley and wheat fields in these areas. Wintering areas tend to be in sheltered valleys or lower altitudes. The largest populations are in China with smaller numbers extending into Vietnam, Bhutan and India. Small populations have been noted in northern Sikkim. A small group of 20 to 40

1280-405: Is either acoustic with both birds performing the unison call, or more rarely, physical with attacks usually by the male. Because of this, females are much less likely to retain the territory than males in the event of the death of a partner. Rarely, breeding territorial crane pairs allow a third crane into the territory to form polygynous or polyandrous trios that improves the chances of survival of

1360-568: Is held in the Gangteng Monastery from the 5th to 10th days of the eighth lunar month , as per the Bhutanese calendar. Mask dances are a special feature of the festival. The festival attracts many foreign tourists. The epithet Kumbu could have been derived from Kumbu Bja which is the name of a cliff above the village. The name "Kumbu" have been a derivative name from "Kubum" meaning a hundred thousand statues. The local people have

1440-468: Is incomplete. Apparently, the subfamilies were well distinct by the Late Eocene (around 35 mya ). The present genera are apparently some 20 mya old. Biogeography of known fossil and the living taxa of cranes suggests that the group is probably of ( Laurasian ?) Old World origin. The extant diversity at the genus level is centered on (eastern) Africa , although no fossil record exists from there. On

1520-438: Is known for its seed potato crop as the soil and atmospheric conditions in the valley are free from insects and diseases that normally affect this crop. The crop is mainly exported to India where there is great demand for this variety. This has generated interest in the valley to convert the wetlands or marshy lands of the valley into farms by draining the area of its water logging to produce cash crops. However, interest to preserve

1600-542: Is located in the Wangdue Phodrang District ( Phobji and Gangteng Gewogs ) in central Bhutan . The valley has about 4,500 people (4,716 has been reported ) residing in Gangten and other villages, and in the Gangten Monastery that is strategically located on a spur above the valley. During the winter season, as the valley gets covered by snow, some population of the valley including the monks shifts to

1680-528: Is located on the valley floor. Built in the 15th century, the temple features three stories with each story featuring present, past, and future Buddhas. The temple was built by Trulku Paljor Gyeltshen. The school was initially established as the first non-monastic school within the Phobjikha valley and was located near the Gangtey Gonpa. Later it was moved to the wide plain area which now falls within

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1760-417: Is mostly underdeveloped with least modern facilities of water and sanitation. Transport and communication facilities are also not adequate. But with the development of the country, the two mobile service providers of the country established the cellular networks. This connected the valley to the rest of the world. B-Mobile installed its first cellular network in the year 2008 during the consecration ceremony of

1840-526: Is rich in faunal biodiversity and has, apart from the globally threatened black-necked cranes Grus nigricollis , 13 other globally threatened species. Within the ambit of the valley, an area of about 970 hectares (3.7 sq mi) has been declared a Ramsar site on May 2, 2014, a wetland of international importance which is managed by the Royal Society for the Protection of Nature (RSPN), for

1920-443: Is the position and length of the trachea . In the two crowned cranes, the trachea is shorter and only slightly impressed upon the bone of the sternum , whereas the trachea of the other species are longer and penetrate the sternum. In some species, the entire sternum is fused to the bony plates of the trachea, and this helps amplify the crane's calls , allowing them to carry for several kilometres. The family name Gruidae comes from

2000-469: Is usually a pre-existing mud island inside a large shallow wetland, sometimes shared along with bar-headed goose . The nest varies from a scantily lined scratch in the ground to a structure made of grass, rushes and weeds with a depression in the centre, sometimes the eggs laid directly on the grass without any structure. Eggs are laid mainly in May and June. One or two eggs. The birds are relatively more wary when

2080-574: Is usually timed to coincide with the wet or monsoon seasons. Artificial sources of water such as irrigation canals and irregular rainfall can sometimes provide adequate moisture to maintain wetland habitat outside the normal wet season, and allows for occasional aseasonal nesting throughout the year in few tropical species. Territory sizes also vary depending on location. Tropical species can maintain very small territories, for example sarus cranes in India can breed on territories as small as one hectare where

2160-784: The Bumthang group of languages. The Henkha is a dialect restricted to certain pockets of the Trongsa and Wangdue Phodrang Districts. Henkha means the early language and the speakers of dialect are confined to the northern, eastern and western areas surrounding the Black Mountains range. The latter ethnic group is those of Ngalong origin speaking the Ngalong Kha which is the same as the Dzongkha. The Black Mountain Region

2240-732: The Dashanbao Black-necked Crane National Nature Reserve , China, harboured at least eight species of helminth parasites and three of protozoan parasites, and were carrying free-living amoebae . This article incorporates text from the ARKive fact-file "Black-necked crane" under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License and the GFDL . Crane (bird) See text Cranes are

2320-547: The Gangteng Monastery , also known as Gangtey Gonpa, on a spur surrounded by the village Gangtey. The valley also hosts one of the eight Lings built by a great Buddhist saint Longchenpa which is called Ngenlung Drechagling. The valley is covered by a rich sward of grass in the marshy land where special variety of dwarf bamboo (Yushania microphylla) grows on which the black-necked cranes feed. The Nake Chuu and Phag Chuu River runs through this valley. Scenic views of

2400-464: The Siberian crane was moved to the resurrected monotypic genus Leucogeranus , while the sandhill crane, the white-naped crane, the sarus crane, and the brolga were moved to the resurrected genus Antigone . Some authorities recognize the additional genera Anthropoides (for the demoiselle crane and blue crane ) and Bugeranus (for the wattled crane ). The following cladogram is based on

2480-406: The Siberian cranes feed on the mudflats and in shallow water, the white-naped cranes on the wetland borders, the hooded cranes on sedge meadows, and the last two species also feed on the agricultural fields along with the common cranes. In Australia, where Sarus Cranes live alongside Brolgas, they have different diets: Sarus Cranes' diet consisted of diverse vegetation, while Brolga diet spanned

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2560-558: The Wangdue Phodrang dzongkhag , has been leased out for Conservation Planning and Management to the Royal Society for the Protection of Nature (RSPN), a non-governmental organization (NGO) set up in Bhutan in 1987 (legally incorporated in 1997). RSPN is involved not only in the conservation management of the black-necked cranes and their habitat but also in conducting research on public education and awareness, community empowerment for conservation, and integrated conservation and development programmes, including community-based ecotourism in

2640-798: The 14th century. Even during that time the valley was known as Ngenlung. It is however not clear as to how the valley got its present name but few local stories relate to the Buddhist Lama Drukpa Kunley and another story relates to the Gesar of Ling. The Phobjikha Valley is a vast valley at an elevation of about 3,000 metres (9,800 ft) on the west side by the Black Mountains (Bhutan) (range above 5,000 metres (16,000 ft) elevation) that separates western and central Bhutan. The valley covers most of Phobji and Gangteng Gewogs and some parts of Athang Gewog and contains

2720-718: The 22 pairs studied remained together for an 11-year period. Of the pairs that separated, 53% was due to the death of one of the pair, 18% was due to divorce, and the fate of 29% of pairs was unknown. Similar results had been found by acoustic monitoring (sonography/frequency analysis of duet and guard calls) in three breeding areas of common cranes in Germany over 10 years. Cranes are territorial and generally seasonal breeders. Seasonality varies both between and within species, depending on local conditions. Migratory species begin breeding upon reaching their summer breeding grounds, between April and June. The breeding season of tropical species

2800-452: The Bonpo religious protectress. Ngenlung Drechagling Lhakhang is one of the eight temples built by Kuenkhen Longchen Rabjam who is popularly known as Longchenpa. Damche Lhakhang or Damchoe Lhakhang was founded and constructed by Trulku Paljor Gyeltshen who was the son of Longchen Rabjam in the 14th century. This temple is located to the north of Tabiting and southwest of Gophu village. It

2880-474: The Elder wrote that cranes would appoint one of their number to stand guard while they slept. The sentry would hold a stone in its claw, so that if it fell asleep, it would drop the stone and waken. A crane holding a stone in its claw is a well-known symbol in heraldry , and is known as a crane in its vigilance. Notably, however, the crest of Clan Cranstoun depicts a sleeping crane still in vigilance and holding

2960-707: The Gangteng Gonpa. These trekking routes followed by international trekking enthusiasts start from the Gangteng Gonpa in the Phobjikha Valley. The treks pass through the Kumbu village (east of the Gonpa), goes through the Gedachen and Khebayathang villages, lead to the Kilhorthang village, and terminate in the Kilkhortang Lhakhang. A short trek of about 90 minutes known as the 'Gangte Nature Trail' starts from

3040-524: The Phobjikha Ramsar site until 2010. Since the school location fell within the Ramsar site, it was relocated to the present location with financial assistance of JICA. Since 2016, the school became a central school. Bayta Primary school is located below Gangtey Gonpa and was constructed in 2005. The school name has its origin to the location of the school where it was used as a grazing land for

3120-411: The Phobjikha Valley are best below the spur of Gangteng Monastery and the other side of the valley in the east. It is said that the pho bjikha valley is surrounded by nine great mountain passes, nine mountain peaks, and nine great local deities The valley is enclosed by the mountain ranges, which experience snowfall. The valley also gets covered with snow during the winter months forcing people of

3200-461: The area is of sufficient quality and disturbance by humans is minimal. Even in areas with a high density of humans, in the absence of directed persecution, species like Sarus Crane maintain territories as small as 5 ha when agricultural crops and landscape conditions are suitable. In contrast, red-crowned crane territories may require 500 hectares, and pairs may defend even larger territories than that, up to several thousand hectares. Territory defence

3280-633: The availability of waste barley and spring wheat. Populations in Bhutan are well protected both culturally and legally although some disturbance from tourism exists. The black-necked crane is evaluated as near threatened on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . It is listed on Appendix I of CITES . As all wild birds, black-necked cranes have a number of parasites. Modern parasitological studies are done with non-invasive means, i.e. without harming or killing. A 2024 study, based on metabarcoding of bird feces, found that black-necked cranes from

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3360-917: The birds, most of whom spent their winters in Tibet in the valleys of the Nyanga , Lhasa and Pengbo rivers and the middle reaches of the Yarlung Tsangpo . The Hutoushan Reservoir in the Pengbo valley is an important winter resting place, with a 96 square kilometres (37 sq mi) Linzhou Black-necked Crane Preservation Zone established in 1993. By 2018, Lhünzhub County 's population of black-necked cranes had exceeded 2,100. The largest colony of black-necked cranes consisted of 400 to 500 individuals. Black-necked cranes also winter in small numbers in two valleys of western Arunachal Pradesh , India . These are Sangti and Zemithang. Black-necked cranes forage on

3440-474: The breeding season, occurring in pairs, but during the non-breeding season, most species are gregarious, forming large flocks where their numbers are sufficient. They are opportunistic feeders that change their diets according to the season and their own nutrient requirements. They eat a range of items from small rodents , eggs of birds, fish , amphibians , and insects to grain and berries . Cranes construct platform nests in shallow water, and typically lay

3520-458: The cattle. "Raam" referring to the grazing place of cattle. Located at around 8 kilometers from the Tabiding area, it was established as a community primary school in 2002 with only five teachers. This institution is a Nyingma monastic college or shedra. This institute is located between Kilkhorthang and Nimphey villages. The health care centre in the valley mainly consists of a hospital and

3600-429: The crane carries a touchstone inside it that can be used to test for gold when vomited up. Greek and Roman myths often portrayed the dance of cranes as a love of joy and a celebration of life, and the crane was often associated with both Apollo and Hephaestus . Phobjika valley The broad valley, with its best-known marshland in Bhutan, is popular for its scenic splendour and cultural uniqueness. The valley

3680-413: The diet varies by location, season, and availability. Within the wide range of items consumed, some patterns are suggested but require specific investigation to confirm; the shorter-billed species usually feed in drier uplands, while the longer-billed species feed in wetlands. Cranes employ different foraging techniques for different food types and in different habitats. Tubers and rhizomes are dug for and

3760-582: The effect of tourism on cranes in the Phobjika Valley should also be studied. The valley and hills surrounding it are rich in wildlife. The fauna recorded are the muntjacs ( barking deer ), wild boars , sambar , Himalayan black bear , Himalayan serow , leopards and foxes . The Phobjika Valley has several vulnerable species of birds in the Protected Conservation Area established in 2003. The most celebrated species of

3840-414: The entire Phobjikha Valley. The festival is attended by a large number of local people. On this occasion, children wearing crane costumes perform choreographed crane dances. During this period, cranes are seen flying at high altitudes over the mountains. Many tourists also visit the valley to witness this festival. Another special festival observed by the people of the valley is the annual Tsechu , which

3920-400: The entirety of the breeding season. Even the demoiselle crane and blue crane, which may nest and feed in grasslands (or even arid grasslands or deserts), require wetlands for roosting at night. The Sarus Crane in south Asia is unique in having a significant breeding population using agricultural fields to breed in areas alongside very high density of humans and intensive farming , largely due to

4000-452: The face, but the crowned cranes of the genus Balearica have vibrantly-coloured wings and golden "crowns" of feathers. Cranes fly with their necks extended outwards instead of bent into an S-shape and their long legs outstretched. Cranes live on most continents, with the exception of Antarctica and South America . Some species and populations of cranes migrate over long distances; others do not migrate at all. Cranes are solitary during

4080-484: The feeding spots. In this manner, they cover several kilometers a day while foraging. They feed on the tubers of sedges, plant roots, earthworms, insects and other invertebrates, frogs and other small vertebrates. They may also feed on fallen grains of barley, oats and buckwheat and will sometimes dig up and feed on potatoes, carrots and turnips. Their loud trumpeting calls are similar to those of other cranes. These birds are very wary, but in some areas they are accustomed to

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4160-506: The forest species is thought to help them maintain a less conspicuous profile while nesting; two of these species (the common and sandhill cranes ) also daub their feathers with mud which some observers suspect helps them to hide while nesting. Most crane species have bare patches of skin on their heads and can expand the patches in order to communicate aggression. Species lacking these bare patches use specialized feather tufts to signal similar information. Also important to communication

4240-484: The genus Grus , this genus name is obtained from the epithet of the common crane which is Ardea grus , it is named by Carl Linnaeus from the Latin word grus meaning "crane". The 15 living species of cranes are placed in four genera . A molecular phylogenetic study published in 2010 found that the genus Grus , as then defined, was polyphyletic . In the resulting rearrangement to create monophyletic genera,

4320-432: The ground in small groups, often with one bird acting as a sentinel. In winter, the groups arrive and leave the feeding grounds together, but may split into family groups, each group keeping their own small feeding territories in a big marshes or fields. They spend nearly 75% of the day foraging with peak feeding in the early morning and late afternoon. While foraging, they keep walking and they also walk long distances between

4400-488: The habitat of the black-necked crane in the valley, the religious significance that is attached to the black-necked cranes, and the tourism that has developed around the famous Gangten Monastery and the cranes, the institutions like the Royal Society for the Protection of Nature (RSPN) have prevailed upon the Government of Bhutan to stop any conversion of the valley land into farms. Palje "Benjie" Dorji, former Chief Justice of Bhutan, former Minister for Environment, and uncle of

4480-501: The language called as Ngalong Kha . On the contrary, the Phobjikha Valley have been referred to as Ngoen Lung which refers to the settlements that pre-existed the rise from the darkness. The valley has been known by the name Lhoma Ngönlung in the 13th century when the Bon religion was predominant in the valley. Longchen Rabjam, a buddhist lama who visited Bhutan also established the Ngenlung Drechagling in valley in

4560-499: The lifetime of the birds. Pair bonds begin to form in the second or third years of life, but several years pass before the first successful breeding season. Initial breeding attempts often fail, and in many cases, newer pair bonds dissolve (divorce) after unsuccessful breeding attempts. Pairs that are repeatedly successful at breeding remain together for as long as they continue to do so. In a study of sandhill cranes in Florida, seven of

4640-460: The local people who do not disturb them. These cranes appear to be able to distinguish people in traditional dress and are especially wary of others. Like many other crane species, they are believed to form long-lasting pair bonds and dancing displays are made during the breeding season. The breeding birds are territorial and will chase away any intruders of the same species immediately, though they are generally tolerant of other species. The nest site

4720-664: The most due to their loud duet calls that can be used to distinguish individual pairs. Sarus crane trios produce synchronized unison calls called "triets" whose structure is identical to duets of normal pairs, but have a lower frequency. The cranes consume a wide range of food, both animal and plant matter. When feeding on land, they consume seeds, leaves, nuts and acorns, berries, fruit, insects, worms, snails, small reptiles, mammals, and birds. In wetlands and agriculture fields, roots, rhizomes, tubers, and other parts of emergent plants, other molluscs, small fish, eggs of birds and amphibians are also consumed, as well. The exact composition of

4800-431: The nests leading to predation while a rise in the water level can submerge nests. Loss and degradation of habitat are the main threats facing the black-necked cranes. The problems are most serious in the wintering areas, where wetlands are extensively affected by human activity including irrigation, dam construction, draining, and grazing pressure. In Tibet, widespread changes in traditional agricultural practices have reduced

4880-452: The newly built Gangteng Monastery . In view of protection provided to the cranes which visit the valley in winter, as a conservation measure overhead transmission lines for electric supply have not been permitted to be provided. Solar heaters, solar powered cells and diesel generators are used to provide electricity in the past but now the valley is connected to the national grid using underground electrical cable system. The Phobjikha Valley

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4960-540: The other hand, it is peculiar that numerous fossils of Ciconiiformes are documented from there; these birds presumably shared much of their habitat with cranes back then already. Cranes are sister taxa to Eogruidae , a lineage of flightless birds; as predicted by the fossil record of true cranes, eogruids were native to the Old World. A species of true crane, Antigone cubensis , has similarly become flightless and ratite-like. Fossil genera are tentatively assigned to

5040-569: The pair's chicks. Trios of Sarus cranes were seen largely in marginal habitats and third birds were young suggesting that third cranes would benefit by gaining experience. The cranes' beauty and spectacular mating dances have made them highly symbolic birds in many cultures with records dating back to ancient times. Crane mythology can be found in cultures around the world, from India to the Aegean , Arabia , China , Korea , Japan , Australia , and North America. The Sanskrit epic poet Valmiki

5120-601: The positive attitudes of farmers towards the cranes. In Australia, the Brolga occurs in the breeding areas of Sarus Cranes in Queensland state, and they achieve sympatry by using different habitats. Sarus Cranes in Queensland largely live in Eucalyptus -dominated riverine, while most Brolgas use non-wooded regional ecosystems that include vast grassland habitats. The only two species that do not always roost in wetlands are

5200-648: The present King of Bhutan, as the Chairman of the Royal Bhutan Society and as the founder of the Black-necked Conservation Programme helped to drop the proposal to drain the wetlands of the Phobjika Valley to create farms to grow cash rich seed potatoes. However, it has been suggested that as cranes are valued more, the people who cannot grow cash-rich potatoes here need to be compensated. It has also been suggested that

5280-441: The present-day subfamilies: Gruinae Sometimes considered Balearicinae Sometimes considered Gruidae incertae sedis The cranes have a cosmopolitan distribution , occurring across most of the world continents. They are absent from Antarctica and, mysteriously, South America. East Asia has the highest crane diversity, with eight species, followed by Africa, which is home to five resident species and wintering populations of

5360-722: The protection of nature. Tsechu , the colourful Mask Dance Festival of Bhutan and the Crane Festival welcoming the black-neck cranes in winter months are held every year in the precincts of the Phobjikha Valley, in the Gangten Monastery courtyard. It also has a popular three-day trek route. The Western regions of Bhutan has been exposed to the visitors and traders around 11 Century AD. This brought significant exposure to these areas which brought economic, social and religious gains. These benefits have enabled them to incorporate enormous Buddhist Dharma language into their dialect. The people were called as Ngalong meaning early riser and

5440-593: The region is the black-necked crane. The other vulnerable species are the chestnut-breasted partridge ( Arborophila mandellii ), wood snipe ( Gallinago nemoricola ), Blyth's tragopan ( Tragopan blythii ), greater spotted eagle ( Aquila clanga ), imperial eagle ( Aquila heliaca ), Baer's pochard ( Aythya baeri ), Hodgson's bushchat ( Saxicola insignis ), dark-rumped swift ( Apus acuticauda ), and grey-crowned prinia ( Prinia cinereocapilla ).The Conservation Area of 163 square kilometres (63 sq mi), which includes Gewogs of Phobji, Gangte and Bjena under

5520-519: The rock in its raised claw. Aristotle describes the migration of cranes in the History of Animals , adding an account of their fights with Pygmies as they wintered near the source of the Nile . Battles between cranes and dwarf peoples, or geranomachy, is a widespread motif of antiquity and come from China and Arabia at least from the fifth century. Aristotle describes as untruthful an account that

5600-492: The roosting cranes during the night has been recorded from the Phobjika valley of Bhutan . Despite protections, hunting continues to be a problem in parts of China and India. In Bhutan, collisions with power lines have been another cause of mortality in some areas. Eggs may also be preyed on by ravens that may use the opportunity provided when humans disturb the parents. The drying of wetlands can cause increased accessibility of

5680-401: The two African crowned cranes ( Balearica ), which are the only cranes to roost in trees. Some crane species are sedentary, remaining in the same area throughout the year, while others are highly migratory , traveling thousands of kilometres each year from their breeding sites. A few species like Sarus Cranes have both migratory and sedentary populations, and healthy sedentary populations have

5760-587: The valley to shift to more pleasant climes during the months of January and February. The mean minimum temperature recorded in December is −4.8 °C (23.4 °F). The mean maximum temperature recorded in August is 19.9 °C (67.8 °F). The rainfall incidence varies from 1,472–2,189 millimetres (58.0–86.2 in). The Phobjikha Valley is aligned northwest–southeast and composed of two major lateral valleys. The Phobjikha Valley, with its agrarian economy,

5840-474: The valley. The Phobjika valley is marshy land and has a sward of grassy pastures where cattle and horses graze. A special kind of dwarf bamboo grows here, which attracts the black-necked cranes to roost and feed in the valley during the winter season. Potatoes are the main cash crop grown in the valley. Turnips are also grown. Other tree species seen are coniferous vegetation of blue pine , birch , maple and several species of rhododendrons . The valley

5920-466: The valley. The black-necked cranes arrive in this valley in late October and depart in mid-February. In the Phobjikha valley, in particular, the black-necked cranes have a celebrity status, as witnessed by the Crane Festival held every year on 12 November, soon after their arrival from the Tibetan Plateau in late October. The festival is celebrated in the courtyards of the Gangten Gonpa and in

6000-813: The world's tallest flying birds. They range in size from the demoiselle crane , which measures 90 cm (35 in) in length, to the sarus crane , which can be up to 176 cm (69 in), although the heaviest is the red-crowned crane , which can weigh 12 kg (26 lb) prior to migrating. They are long-legged and long-necked birds with streamlined bodies and large, rounded wings. The males and females do not vary in external appearance, but males tend to be slightly larger than females. The plumage of cranes varies by habitat. Species inhabiting vast, open wetlands tend to have more white in their plumage than do species that inhabit smaller wetlands or forested habitats, which tend to be more grey. These white species are also generally larger. The smaller size and colour of

6080-620: The year in south Asia, and non-breeding birds live in flocks that can also be seen throughout the year. Large aggregations of cranes likely increase safety for individual cranes when resting and flying and also increase chances for young unmated birds to meet partners. Cranes are highly vocal and have several specialized calls . The vocabulary begins soon after hatching with low, purring calls for maintaining contact with their parents, as well as food-begging calls. Other calls used as chicks include alarm calls and "flight intention" calls, both of which are maintained into adulthood. Cranes are noticed

6160-485: The young ones are small. Till the time when the young ones are able to fly, the family kept moving around the nesting location, but later the family started traveling far and wide in the course of a day. Though the young ones are able to forage independently, usually they accompany the parents during foraging. Short, subdued nasal "kurrr" calls are used by the family to keep in contact and also by adults to indicate availability of food to juveniles. The adults were found to feed

6240-498: The young ones mainly with fish in Ladakh, adults fishing like herons. The estimated population of the black-necked crane was between 10,070 and 10,970 individuals as of 2013. These birds are legally protected in China, India and Bhutan. However, habitat modification, drying of lakes and agriculture are threats to the populations. In many areas, dogs belonging to herders are a major threat to young birds. An incident of leopards preying on

6320-477: Was inspired to write the first śloka couplet by the pathos of seeing a male sarus crane shot while dancing with its mate. In Mecca , in pre-Islamic Arabia, Allāt , Uzza , and Manāt were believed to be the three chief goddesses of Mecca, they were called the "three exalted cranes" ( gharaniq , an obscure word on which 'crane' is the usual gloss ). See The Satanic Verses for the best-known story regarding these three goddesses. The Greek for crane

6400-739: Was once known to regularly visit the Subansiri area in the Apa Tani valley until 1975, and vagrants have been recorded in Nepal. In 1991, an estimated 600 to 900 cranes inhabited the Hongyuan-Ruoergai Plateau , Sichuan , China, making it the most crucial breeding and summering area for the cranes at that time. According to a 2013 survey, the total crane population in the Zoigê Marsh was 893. In 1996, there were about 4,000 of

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