Introduction
The Black-necked Crane Grus nigricollis is the world’s only exclusively alpine crane species (Mirande and Harris Reference Mirande and Harris2019) and is listed as Near Threatened on the IUCN Red List (BirdLife International 2020a). It is native to China, India and Bhutan (BirdLife International 2020b), and has now been recorded in Nepal (BCN 2025). Breeding has been reported from the Qinghai-Tibetan plateau (Pu and Guo Reference Pu and Guo2023; Qian et al. Reference Qian, Wu, Gao, Zhang, Li and Zhong2009; Yang et al. Reference Yang, Xie, Shen, Tian, Wang and Bian2023), Ladakh (Chandan et al. Reference Chandan, Khan, Takpa, Hussain, Mehdi and Jamwal2014; Chandan et al. Reference Chandan, Ahmed and Khan2023; Li et al. Reference Li, Archibald, Bishop, Chandan, Kong, Farrington, Mirande and Harris2019), with recent records from Langjab of Haa district in Bhutan (Wangchuk Reference Wangchuk2025) and from the Limi valley of Humla district in Nepal (BCN 2025). Due to the inaccessibility of its alpine habitats, the species remains poorly studied, hindering effective conservation (Han et al. Reference Han, Guo, Mi, Huettmann and Wen2017). In winter, Black-necked Crane occurs on the Qinghai-Tibetan and Yunnan-Guizhou Plateaus, utilizing multiple wintering sites in China, including Yarlung Tsangpo (Brahmaputra) river basin (Pu and Guo Reference Pu and Guo2023; Qian et al. Reference Qian, Wu, Gao, Zhang, Li and Zhong2009), Dashanbao (Kong et al. Reference Kong, Yang, Liu, Zhong and Yang2011) and Huize (Wu et al. Reference Wu, Zhang, Li and Jiang2013) in Yunnan Province, Caohai in Guizhou Province (Wu et al. Reference Wu, Hu, Zhang, Li and Su2020) and South Tibet, among other locations (Chen et al. Reference Chen, Pu, Huang, Yu, Zhang, Xu and Xu2023). The species also winters in areas bordering northeastern India (Li et al. Reference Li, Archibald, Bishop, Chandan, Kong, Farrington, Mirande and Harris2019) as well as in Phobjikha, Bomdeling, Khotokha, Gyetsa (Bumthang) and Paro of Bhutan (RSPN 2012; Mirande and Harris Reference Mirande and Harris2019).
They breed on swamps and lakes islands to protect their eggs from predators (Song et al. Reference Song, Zhang, Gao, Guo and Li2014) and during winter some of them forage on farmlands (Yuan et al. Reference Yuan, Liu, Yang, Wang, Yang and Pu2023). Factors such as the increasing human population, habitat loss, and climate change have led to the spread of Black-necked Cranes in adjoining areas. Their potential localities include Tajikistan, Kazakhstan and Mongolia adjacent to Xinjiang, China (Ma et al. Reference Ma, Li, Zhang, Zhang, Yuan and Chen2011). Our previous tracking study has also revealed a Black-necked Crane, hatched in Yanchiwan, Gansu, China, spent the summer in Gobi-Altai province, Mongolia (Yang et al. Reference Yang, Wen and Guo2024).
There is virtually no information on Black-necked Crane in Nepal regarding its migration routes, breeding grounds, stopover sites, or distribution. As a result, the species was previously considered a vagrant and was listed as ‘Data Deficient’ in Inskipp et al. (Reference Inskipp, Baral, Phuyal, Bhatt, Khatiwada and Inskipp2016). To address this gap, we present new data on Black-necked Crane from Nepal, which not only fills a critical national knowledge gap but also contributes to global conservation and management planning across the species’ range.
Methods
In 2020, we deployed satellite transmitters on Black-necked Cranes in Tibet (Pu and Guo Reference Pu and Guo2023), two of which have visited Nepal in different time periods. From the satellite telemetry dataset, we extracted GPS coordinates located within Nepal and calculated the distance between each crane’s natal site in China and its Nepalese locations using the mean coordinates of each individual’s locations in Nepal. We compiled sightings from both published and unpublished literature related to Black-necked Crane in Nepal by searching historical sighting records, journals, articles, meeting proceedings, field notes, and social media content. We also directly communicated with researchers, biologists and local citizen scientists who have seen the species in Nepal and obtained photographic and georeferenced evidence of their sightings. We also connected with the 2025 Black-necked Crane survey team members from Bird Conservation Nepal (BCN) and their reports for the latest updates. Furthermore, we explored major biodiversity databases, including BirdLife DataZone, eBird and the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) for occurrence records within Nepal. By integrating our primary satellite tracking data with compiled secondary records, we present here the first-hand distribution map of Black-necked Cranes in Nepal.
Results
Satellite telemetry
Our satellite telemetry study on Black-necked Cranes originally caught in Tibet revealed frequent cross-border movements of these birds into the Himalayan regions of Nepal. Two individuals (BNC81 and BNC84), tagged on 8 August 2020, entered six times into various locations of Nepal. BNC81 was recorded entering Nepal three times (Figure 1). On 9 June 2023, it flew from Tibet to Chhonhup village (29.270° N, 83.936° E, 4,813 m above sea level, hereafter ASL) in Lo-Manthang Rural Municipality, Mustang. The crane stayed there from 13h00 to 15h00 before returning to Tibet. One year later, on 10 May 2024, at 14h00, it re-entered from Tibet to Mugum Karmarong Rural Municipality (29.695° N, 82.487° E, 5,361 m above sea level) in Mugu district, the most remote and least developed district of Nepal located in Karnali province. The bird moved 52.17 km to the south-west crossing over the Rara Lake in Karnali province and, after an hour, arrived at Khatyad Rural Municipality (29.519° N, 81.983° E, 3,573 m ASL) in Mugu district. The crane then moved 29.24 km south-west and stopped at Budhinanda Municipality (29.471° N, 81.686° E, 2,683 m ASL) in Bajura district, the remote and underdeveloped district of Nepal in Sudurpashchim (Far-Western) province. Subsequently, it flew up 25.16 km northeast and halted at Madana of Tanjakot Rural Municipality (29.685° N, 81.772° E, 3,350 m ASL) in Humla district and continued 36.17 km north to Simikot Rural Municipality (30.001° N, 81.865° E, 4,448 m ASL), also in Humla. Finally, BNC81 returned to Tibet, adjacent to Kharpunath Rural Municipality of Humla at 20h00 travelling about 219.29 km and staying six hours in Nepal.
Natal sites and movements of two satellite-tagged Black-necked Cranes (BNC81 and BNC84) in Nepal and China.
Figure 1. Long description
A topographical satellite map shows the mountainous border region between China in the North and Nepal in the South. An inset map at the bottom-left shows the regional context within South Asia.
Tracking data for B N C 81 is marked with triangles. Its natal site is in the Northeast. An orange path with arrows shows movement West into China, while a purple path shows a return loop. A dashed black line indicates a 138.57 kilometer direct distance from its China natal site to a roosting site in Nepal.
Tracking data for B N C 84 is marked with stars. Its natal site is also in the Northeast, slightly South of B N C 81. A red path shows movement South into Nepal. A dashed black line indicates a 111.47 kilometer direct distance to the same Nepal roosting site, which is circled in red and labeled as the individual’s only night at a roosting site in Nepal.
Legend details for G P S data include:
* B N C 81: Blue triangle (9 June 2023), Purple triangle (10 May 2024), Pink triangle (19 May 2024). Speed gradients range from 0 to 128.2 kilometers per hour.
* B N C 84: Red star (28 May 2023), Green star (1 April 2024), Yellow star (20 April 2024). Speed gradients range from 0 to 122.5 kilometers per hour.
Other reports are marked with colored crosses across the map:
* Northwest: Rinzin P Lama, 2025 (blue) and Acharya and Ghimire, 2016 (maroon).
* Central: Sunil B K and Niraj Thakali, 2025 (teal) and Naylor et al., 2003 (green).
* South: Rossetti, 1979 (light green).
* Southeast: Hancock, 2001 (yellow).
After nine days, on 19 May 2024 at 13h00 the same BNC81 again entered from Tibet to Daura of Mugum Karmarong Rural Municipality (29.648° N, 82.446° E, 4,906 m ASL) of Mugu district, Nepal. It flew 27.06 km south-west and arrived at Rowa of Chhayanath Rara Municipality (29.459° N, 82.269° E, 4,937 m ASL) near the Rara National Park, Mugu. From Rara it moved 28.86 km north-west and reached at Darma of Chankheli Rural Municipality (29.703° N, 82.165° E, 4,853 m ASL), Humla and then 38.52 km north-east to Shreemastha of upper Chankheli (30.008° N, 82.355° E, 5,424 m ASL), Humla from where it departed Nepal for Tibet at 17h00 travelling about 135.72 km and staying four hours in Nepal.
A second Black-necked Crane (BNC84) also entered Nepal three times in Mustang (Figure 1). On 28 May 2023 it travelled 22.45 km from Tibet and arrived at Chhonhup village (29.281° N, 83.911° E, 5,491 m ASL) near Kali Gandaki River, Lo-Manthang Rural Municipality, Mustang, at 13h00. It then moved 19.63 km southwest to Charang (29.176° N, 83.748° E, 5,333 m ASL), Dalome Rural Municipality, Mustang. BNC84 remained in the area overnight, resting and roosting within a 2 km radius, and was recorded there until 05h00 the following morning. It departed Charang at 11h00 and flew 26.36 km southeast to Syanboche (28.959° N, 83.861° E, 4,495 m ASL), also in Dalome Rural Municipality, Mustang. It continued another 28.81 km southwest and arrived in Marpha (28.792° N, 83.635° E, 4,719 m ASL), Gharapjhong Rural Municipality, Mustang, at 13h00. The crane returned 52.83 km north to Lo-Manthang (29.222° N, 83.869° E, 5,814 m ASL) near upper Mustang trek, Lo-Manthang Rural Municipality, Mustang and departed to Tibet at 14h00 of 29 May, spending approximately two days and one night within Nepalese territory.
After one year on 1 April 2024 at 12h00, same individual BNC84 returned from Tibet to Lo-Manthang Rural Municipality (29.252° N, 83.904° E, 4,890 m ASL) near Chumjung village, flying 11.55 km south. However, it did not stay long and departed back 24.84 km north to Tibet. After 19 days on 20 April, it again entered Nepal near Chumjung village (29.220° N, 83.938° E, 5,533 m ASL), Lo-Manthang Rural Municipality at 18h00 after traveling 23.18 km south and returned to Tibet traveling 28.23 km northeast.
Field sightings
On 5 May 2025, a pair of Black-necked Cranes was sighted in Mustang district of the Himalayan region, Nepal. Co-author SB captured a short video clip of a pair of Black-necked Cranes foraging in wetland (29.182° N, 83.945° E) near Namgyal, Lo-Manthang Rural Municipality, Mustang of Gandaki province. This observation not only adds to the avian species found in the Annapurna Conservation Area, but also provides a new locality record of the species in Nepal.
The species has been recorded in Nepal on a number of previous occasions. The species has been recorded in Nepal on a number of previous occasions. On 4 and 5 July 1978, John Rossetti photographed an adult Black-necked Crane circling over swampland bordering paddy fields at the edge of Begnas Lake near Pokhara of Kaski district, confirming the species’ presence in Nepal (Rossetti Reference Rossetti1979). During a birdwatching trek on 21 April 2001, in Kyanjin Gompa village, Langtang valley inside the Langtang National Park, Gosainkunda Rural Municipality in Rasuwa district, Bagmati province, the ornithologists Som GC, Christine and Barry Hancock spotted 15–20 migrating Black-necked Cranes above the peak of Kyanjin Ri (4,773 m ASL) mountain flying towards western Himalayas in a ‘V’ formation (Hancock Reference Hancock2001). In addition, Naylor et al. (Reference Naylor, Tomlinson, Metcalf, Lee and Turner2003) also recorded a single crane in the field at the north end of Phewa Lake, Pokhara, Kaski district, Gandaki province on 13 March 2003, supporting the presence of Black-necked Crane in Nepal, which further corroborates historical occurrences in this area.
Acharya and Ghimire (Reference Acharya and Ghimire2016) observed a single Black-necked Crane in early June 2013 and a pair on 24 April 2014 in Ngin Kharka pastureland (30.164° N, 81.743° E, 4,556 m ASL), a moist grassland near Ngin khola (stream) of Limi valley, Namkha Rural Municipality, Humla district, the most northern remote mountain district of Nepal in Karnali province, where Kusi and Werhahn (Reference Kusi and Werhahn2016) also documented a pair in early July 2015, which is the only confirmed breeding site of Black-necked Crane in Nepal and is a vagrant elsewhere in the country (Naylor et al. Reference Naylor, Tomlinson, Metcalf, Lee and Turner2003; Inskipp et al. Reference Inskipp, Baral, Phuyal, Bhatt, Khatiwada and Inskipp2016). In 2022, Naresh Kusi, a wildlife biologist, recorded two pairs of Black-necked Cranes at 4,900 m ASL in Limi valley (RSPN 2023). In July 2023, the local team members of Project Ukali, Nepal, have photographed a pair of Black-necked Crane in Gaeu Khola and in Marjung La of Limi valley, Namkha Rural Municipality, Humla (Rinzin P. Lama to DKK on 1 July 2025, personal communication).
Recently, International Crane Foundation supported field survey conducted by Bird Conservation Nepal on 5–24 July 2025 has also confirmed breeding with photographic evidence of a pair with a chick near Sakya Khola (stream) plain of Limi valley, Namkha Rural Municipality, Humla (BCN 2025; Paudel Reference Paudel2025). With the confirmation of breeding in Nepal now the status of this bird changes from mere seasonal visitor, vagrant to breeding resident for Nepal. Our telemetry data also supports the frequent visit of Black-necked Crane in Nepal Himalayas. Additionally, the breeding subpopulation of Black-necked Crane living in the Pumqu Basin, Tibet, China is less than 100 km away from Nepal. In 2015, it was reported that there were 111 adult Black-necked Cranes and 22 chicks distributed in this area (Han et al. Reference Han, Guo, Wen and Mi2015). This subpopulation is likely to have some individuals dispersing into Nepal in the future, as the BNC81 was observed in this region by telemetry from February to April 2024 before wandering into Nepal.
Despite these observations, we found no Black-necked Crane records for Nepal in major global biodiversity databases, such as BirdLife DataZone and GBIF.
Discussion
Based on the available data and our telemetry data (Supplementary material Table S1) we prepared the first map of Black-necked Crane distribution in Nepal (Figure 1). To date, no formal conservation action has been developed for the species in Nepal and this study, that brings together satellite telemetry data and sightings from both birdwatchers and scientists, is a first step towards the formulation and implementation of conservation measures. These data will provide a valuable reference for conservation management of this species, not only in Nepal, but also across its entire range. The Central Asian Flyway is one of the world’s most critical and sensitive ecosystems (UNDP 2026) and the Black-necked Crane is a flagship indicator of the health of high-altitude wetland ecosystems, ecological integrity and climate resilience across China, Bhutan, India and Nepal along its migratory route. In Buddhism and Himalayan cultures of these countries, these cranes locally known as Thrung Thrung Karmo symbolising sacred, peace, happiness, purity, fidelity, longevity and spiritual harmony, appearing in local folklore, monastery art, festivals, traditional songs and historic texts emphasising their deep connection with human beliefs and conservation values (Beer Reference Beer1999; DFPS and RSPN 2021). In Ladakh region, the Black-necked Crane is designated as a state bird, reflecting its cultural significance (WPD and BNHS 2021). It is also the state bird of Qinghai Province, as well as the municipal bird of Lhasa, the capital of Tibet, China.
As a migratory species, this bird crosses international borders and their long-term survival requires transboundary conservation efforts. Further investigations on their breeding ground, wintering areas, flyways, threats and conservation actions in Nepal are highly recommended for the timely protection of these newly confirmed breeding cranes in Nepal. In particular, conducting additional studies at the locations where tracked Black-necked Crane individuals stop over would help explore the potential existence of populations of this species (and other cranes) at these sites.
Supplementary material
The supplementary material for this article can be found at http://doi.org/10.1017/S0959270926100677.
Acknowledgements
We acknowledge to Naresh Kusi for providing literature information, Rinzin P. Lama, Ishana Thapa, Ankit Bilash Joshi, Kiran Gosai, and Bird Conservation Nepal for supplying data on Black-necked Cranes at Humla.
Competing interests
The authors declare there are no competing interests.
Ethical standard
The authors assert that all procedures contributing to this work comply with the ethical standards of the relevant national and institutional guides on the care and use of animals.
Financial support
This work was supported by the project “Monitoring of Black-necked Crane Populations and Migratory Habitats Connectivity in Qinghai Province” jointly initiated by Qinghai Forestry and Grassland Administration and Qilian Mountain National Park (grant number QHPJJC[FW]-2025-026) and the National Natural Science Foundation of China (grant number 31770573).
