Watching black-necked cranes at dawn

The black-necked crane is a tall grey crane with a black head and neck and a red crown. It breeds on the high plateau of Tibet and Ladakh and winters in a few valleys of Bhutan, Tibet and China. In Bhutan, Phobjikha is the best known roosting site. The birds arrive in late October and leave by mid-February. Local tradition says they circle Gangtey Goenpa three times as they arrive and as they depart, and many villagers will tell you they have seen it.

Watch from the road edge or the Black-necked Crane Information Centre, run by the Royal Society for Protection of Nature, which has telescopes and displays on the cranes' life. The best times are just after dawn, when the cranes fly in from their roosts in the marsh calling loudly, and the last hour before dusk, when they return. During the day they walk slowly across the fields eating potato leftovers, roots and insects. Families stay together; you will often see a pair with a brown-headed juvenile.

Keep a respectful distance of at least 100 m, stay on paths and do not try to get closer for photos. The valley's power lines run underground to protect the cranes, and drones are not allowed. Bring binoculars and a telephoto lens of 300 mm or more. The centre's entry fee is about Nu 200, indicative 2026. If you are in Bhutan from November to February, this is worth a detour of two days.