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Black-necked Crane
Grus nigricollis
26.8563, 104.279
Field Notes
Description:
139 cm (55 in) long with a 235 cm (7.8 ft) wingspan, and it weighs 5.5 kg (12 lbs). 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.
Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. It is listed on Appendix I and II of CITES.
Habitat:
The Black-necked Crane is found almost entirely inside 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.
Notes:
I don't usually go out of my way to spot birds but I specifically sought out this rare bird. This was something new for me. I went out of my way to Caohai lake to spot birds. Winter is the best time to see them at the lake. It may be the best time for them but it was too cold for me. It was nearly freezing when I headed out to the lake, which is beside the town of Weining. It started to snow as I walked around the lake! This wouldn't be so bad if I had a nice warm room to look forward to, but my room only had a heated blanket, as many do in China.
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