About Siberian Demoiselle crane:
- It is the smallest of crane species which is both solitary and social in behavior.
- This bird is symbolically significant in the culture of India, where it is known as Koonj or Kurjaa.
- These cranes are migratory birds, travelling long distances from their breeding to their wintering grounds.
- Habitat: It inhabits fields, deserts, steppes, and plains with water in general vicinity.
- Distribution: They are found in Central Euro Siberia, ranging from the Black Sea to Mongolia and Northeast China.
- Breeding range: They breed in Central Eurasia, from the Black Sea to North East China and Mongolia. In winters, it breeds in the Indian subcontinent and sub-Saharan Africa.
- While Demoiselle cranes typically travel through Himalayan valleys and enter India via Nepal, Sukpak took a different route, flying through Russia, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, Afghanistan and Pakistan before entering India through Jaisalmer.
- Conservation efforts in India: Khichan is a key stop for migratory birds in Rajasthan also it has become India’s first reserve dedicated to this species.
- Conservation status
- IUCN: Least Concern
- Threats: They are threatened by drainage of wetlands and habitat loss, illegal pet trade and suffer hunting pressure.
