Black-necked Crane (Grus nigricollis)

 
Black-necked Crane (Grus nigricollis)
Family GRUIDAE
Subfamily GRUINAE
Genus GRUS
LOCAL NAMES: Tin –tin Karma (Bhutia, Bhutneese, Mongpa, Tibetan)
TAXONOMY: (Grus nigricollis)  Przevalski, 1876,China.Monotypic.
E Ladakh ,Sikkim through Tibet to Xinjiang, Qinghai, Gansu and Sichuan. Winters from S Tibet–Qinghai Plateau, Bhutan and NW & E Arunachal Pradesh (NE India) E to Yunnan–Guizhou Plateau and formerly in Vietnam
Status: Vulnerable.
FIELD CHARACTERS: Size 115 cm : Large carne with red on the crown , black head , neck and tail , rest of the body greyish –white with  black primaries and secondaries; iris yellow. Juvenile plumage greyish yellow; neck mixed black and white.
VOICE/SONGS: High-pitched and penetrating, including louder or softer “gorr-kro, gon-kro, gorr-kro.”.
HABITAT AND BEHAVIOUR:  Usually above 3050 meters but also recorded around 1750 meters in Sikkim: Summer and breeding on cold desert or Tibetan plateau on grassy wetlands, boggy meadows, marshes along shores of lakes and small streams, and pastures; often near human settlements. In winter occurs at much lower altitudes but is still regularly recorded up to at least 3050 m, typically in open country on agricultural land. Feeds on plant roots and tubers, snails, fish, shrimps, frogs, lizards, small birds and voles. In wintering areas, consumes waste barley, spring wheat and other cultivated crops, as well as tubers, seeds, earthworms, insects and snails. Sometimes feeds near pigs, cows and horses, pecking at their dung and at insects disturbed by the livestock. Gregarious in wintering grounds.
 
Phobjikha, Bhutan: 555 cranes are wintering in Phobjikha Valley of Bhutan every year
Please join me in my venture to experience the thrill of capturing nature
Please click here for our wonderful Trip report http://chewangbonpo.blogspot.in
Date: 22/2/2017
Camera Model: NIKON D750
Shutter speed: 1/500 sec
Aperture: 8
Exposure mode: Manual
ISO: 400
Lens: 600mm f/4
Focal length: 850mm