Cranes have arrived in the winter grounds in Bhutan

Six black-necked cranes were tagged with a GPS transmitter in Bhutan 2019 - 2020. This measure is an integral part within the project for conversation and research of this rare crane species, which is funded by the Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety (BMU) and realized by NABU International, the Bhutanese ´Royal Society for the Protection of Nature‘ (RSPN) and Crane Conservation Germany (CCG).

One weeks ago these black-necked cranes started their migration towards the wintering grounds. Three of them (ID 6603, 7116 and 7118) already arrived in Phobjikha on November 21^st and 22^nd. Crane 6602 makes a stopover, roosting just ahead of the Bhutanese border. Crane 7117 is still in the breeding home. The sender of crane 6604 is not transmitting anymore due to energy problems.

Each year shortly before the arrival of the majestic birds, the people in Bhutan celebrate a big festival in the monastery of the Phobjikha valley. This year it took place on November 11 and had more than 50,000 virtual live viewers. A glimpse into the festival is provided by this YouTube video.