Hi

I might be wrong. But the white around the eye seem to extend over earcoverts and the tailfeathers are grey (not black(ish) and thats why i'm quite sure you have a photo of a Common Crane here and not a Black-necked Crane.

Ps lovely photos from India Ds

Kindest regards Mattias

Thanks for an excellent photo, PAUL.

Apparently, the lower part of the neck is grey,
- i.e. like Common C.

In Black-necked C. the entire neck is black.

So ?

Best rgds .............. C.

Dear Mattias and Carsten,
This untypical example was the only representative of his species to be seen in the Sangti Valley of western Arunachal Pradesh, a beautiful valley famous for its returning small population of migrant Black-necked cranes. So far this year only this bird has come. A days hike from Dirang, Sangati is one of 2 valleys in the region where the bird can usually be seen, the other Zemithang, not being accessible to forigen tourists. To my knowledge Common Crane is not recorded anywhere nearby. I sayed a very long way away from the bird so as not to disturd or stress what is a threatened species. So I dont have any pictures taken at closer range. MVH Paul

Many thanks, PAUL.

I do understand the dilemma re species.

But, also exciting that You present a sharp photo in
fine environment

- at the frontiers of common field birding...

obviously(?) posing problems.

Yours ......... C.

Regarding the Black-necked Cranes of Sangti Valley:
By a happy coincidence my neighbour at the lodge I stayed in recently at the "Little Rann of Kutch", Mr Prakash Gole, turned out not only to be an expert on cranes in india but remarkably the first person to actualy document hese very cranes of Santi Valley! He took a look at this and other photos that I have and was sure that it was indeed a Black-necked Crane. MVH Paul

Many thanks for follow up, PAUL .......... Rgds C.

I have been unable to find any evidence of Black-necked Cranes (even an "untypical example") with the combo of dark "tail", whitish cheeks, restricted black on neck and dark(reddish?)iris.

All the above characters are clinchers, however, of Common Crane, so I urge Paul Patrick to look into this matter again, and perhaps reach the conclusion that he's recorded something even more unusual than Black-necked Crane!

A whoopsie! My first sentence should of course read "...with the combo of GREY "tail"..." Sorry!

Paul,

I still think this a without doubt a Common Crane.

The reasons are well argued for by Matthias and myself, and I am frankly puzzled as to why you haven't yet asked the admin. to change the name of the species.

Mvh.
Peter