Data Zone
Taxonomic source(s)
del Hoyo, J., Collar, N.J., Christie, D.A., Elliott, A. and Fishpool, L.D.C. 2014. HBW and BirdLife International Illustrated Checklist of the Birds of the World. Volume 1: Non-passerines. Lynx Edicions BirdLife International, Barcelona, Spain and Cambridge, UK.
| Critically Endangered | Endangered | Vulnerable |
|---|---|---|
| - | - | - |
| Year | Category | Criteria |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | Near Threatened | C1+2a(ii) |
| 2016 | Vulnerable | C2a(ii) |
| 2012 | Vulnerable | C2a(ii) |
| 2009 | Vulnerable | C2a(ii) |
| 2008 | Vulnerable | |
| 2006 | Vulnerable | |
| 2004 | Vulnerable | |
| 2000 | Vulnerable | |
| 1996 | Vulnerable | |
| 1994 | Vulnerable | |
| 1988 | Threatened |
| Migratory status | altitudinal migrant | Forest dependency | does not normally occur in forest |
| Land-mass type |
continent |
Average mass | - |
| Estimate | Data quality | |
|---|---|---|
| Extent of Occurrence (breeding/resident) | 1,790,000 km2 | medium |
| Extent of Occurrence (non-breeding) | 632,000 km2 | medium |
| Number of locations | 11-100 | - |
| Severely fragmented? | no | - |
| Estimate | Data quality | Derivation | Year of estimate | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population size | 6600-6800 mature individuals | medium | estimated | 2019 |
| Population trend | stable | poor | estimated | 1997-2036 |
| Rate of change over the past 10 years/3 generations (longer of the two periods) | 1-9% | - | - | - |
| Rate of change over the future 10 years/3 generations (longer of the two periods) | 10-19% | - | - | - |
| Rate of change over the past & future 10 years/3 generations (longer of the two periods) | 1-9% | - | - | - |
| Generation length | 13 years | - | - | - |
| Number of subpopulations | 1 | - | - | - |
| Percentage of mature individuals in largest subpopulation | 100% | - | - | - |
Population justification: The global population is estimated at c.10,000-10,200 individuals in total (Li et al 2014), roughly equivalent to c.6,600-6,800 mature individuals. Recent counts suggest that numbers may be larger than this (Jia et al. 2019) and if these counts genuinely reflect a larger total rather than redistribution then this figure may need to be further revised upwards.
Trend justification: This species's population is presumed to have previously decreased in line with levels of grassland degradation (owing to intensive grazing and pesticide use) and drying up of marshes (due to increased extraction and desertification), and changing agricultural techniques that have reduced the availability of grain in cultivated areas (Li 2019). Recent increases have been observed, attributed to an increase in suitable wetland area within the breeding sites due to rapid glacial melting (Li 2019), but also the creation of a large network of protected sites in the wintering areas, largely in China (Li 2019). The observed increase may partly be due to an increased concentration of birds at fewer sites allowing more accurate census (which may be the case with the recent record counts in Jia et al. [2019]), but it does appear that there has been a genuine increase in the total number of individuals, despite very low recorded breeding success in parts of the breeding range (Li 2019).
Along the Yarlung Tsangpo River Basin, numbers recorded in January 2018 were approximately 30% higher than in 2014 (Jia et al. 2019). This wintering population contains more than half of the global population hence is key to determining rates of change. This rate of change over such a short period is too large to be accounted for by intrinsic rates of population increase, hence it is likely that it at least partly represents a concentration of the wintering population in this flyway at this key site. However, this is likely to also be in conjunction with a real increase in the numbers in this wintering population.
In the eastern wintering population, a pilot payment for wetland ecosystem service project in Dashanbao Protected Area has led to a small increase in the occurrence probability of Black-necked Cranes (Peng et al. 2020). Between 2013-2017 the numbers recorded in Dashanbao have increased from 1,131 to 1,433 individuals (per Peng et al. 2020).
The small number of breeding Black-necked Cranes in Ladakh, India, has been increasing up to 2012, when the largest number (139) was recorded (Chandan et al. 2014, Chandan & Rigzin 2016). However much of this increase is likely due to surveying additional sites, and in the past few years the total number of birds seen is slightly lower (Chandan & Rigzin 2017). This emphasises the importance of continued detailed monitoring during the non-breeding season, as the drivers of the recent increase may be temporary and a number of plausible threats may impact the wider population in the future.
| Country/Territory | Presence | Origin | Resident | Breeding visitor | Non-breeding visitor | Passage migrant |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bhutan | extant | native | yes | |||
| China (mainland) | extant | native | yes | |||
| India | extant | native | yes | |||
| Nepal | extant | vagrant | yes | |||
| Vietnam | extinct | native | yes |
| Habitat (level 1) | Habitat (level 2) | Importance | Occurrence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Artificial/Terrestrial | Arable Land | major | non-breeding |
| Wetlands (inland) | Bogs, Marshes, Swamps, Fens, Peatlands | major | breeding |
| Wetlands (inland) | Permanent Freshwater Lakes (over 8ha) | major | non-breeding |
| Wetlands (inland) | Permanent Freshwater Marshes/Pools (under 8ha) | major | non-breeding |
| Wetlands (inland) | Permanent Rivers/Streams/Creeks (includes waterfalls) | major | non-breeding |
| Altitude | 2100 - 4900 m | Occasional altitudinal limits | (min) 1375 m |
| Threat (level 1) | Threat (level 2) | Impact and Stresses | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Agriculture & aquaculture | Annual & perennial non-timber crops - Agro-industry farming | Timing | Scope | Severity | Impact | ||||
| Ongoing | Minority (<50%) | Slow, Significant Declines | Low Impact: 5 | ||||||
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| Agriculture & aquaculture | Livestock farming & ranching - Small-holder grazing, ranching or farming | Timing | Scope | Severity | Impact | ||||
| Ongoing | Minority (<50%) | Slow, Significant Declines | Low Impact: 5 | ||||||
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| Agriculture & aquaculture | Marine & freshwater aquaculture - Scale Unknown/Unrecorded | Timing | Scope | Severity | Impact | ||||
| Ongoing | Minority (<50%) | Negligible declines | Low Impact: 4 | ||||||
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| Biological resource use | Hunting & trapping terrestrial animals - Intentional use (species is the target) | Timing | Scope | Severity | Impact | ||||
| Ongoing | Minority (<50%) | Negligible declines | Low Impact: 4 | ||||||
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| Biological resource use | Logging & wood harvesting - Unintentional effects: (subsistence/small scale) [harvest] | Timing | Scope | Severity | Impact | ||||
| Ongoing | Minority (<50%) | Negligible declines | Low Impact: 4 | ||||||
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| Climate change & severe weather | Droughts | Timing | Scope | Severity | Impact | ||||
| Future | Majority (50-90%) | Slow, Significant Declines | Low Impact: 4 | ||||||
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| Climate change & severe weather | Habitat shifting & alteration | Timing | Scope | Severity | Impact | ||||
| Future | Minority (<50%) | Slow, Significant Declines | Low Impact: 3 | ||||||
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| Energy production & mining | Renewable energy | Timing | Scope | Severity | Impact | ||||
| Ongoing | Minority (<50%) | No decline | Low Impact: 4 | ||||||
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| Human intrusions & disturbance | Work & other activities | Timing | Scope | Severity | Impact | ||||
| Ongoing | Minority (<50%) | Negligible declines | Low Impact: 4 | ||||||
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| Invasive and other problematic species, genes & diseases | Invasive non-native/alien species/diseases - Canis familiaris | Timing | Scope | Severity | Impact | ||||
| Ongoing | Minority (<50%) | Slow, Significant Declines | Low Impact: 5 | ||||||
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| Natural system modifications | Dams & water management/use - Abstraction of surface water (agricultural use) | Timing | Scope | Severity | Impact | ||||
| Ongoing | Majority (50-90%) | Causing/Could cause fluctuations | Medium Impact: 6 | ||||||
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| Natural system modifications | Other ecosystem modifications | Timing | Scope | Severity | Impact | ||||
| Ongoing | Minority (<50%) | Causing/Could cause fluctuations | Low Impact: 5 | ||||||
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| Pollution | Agricultural & forestry effluents - Soil erosion, sedimentation | Timing | Scope | Severity | Impact | ||||
| Ongoing | Minority (<50%) | Unknown | Unknown | ||||||
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| Pollution | Agricultural & forestry effluents - Type Unknown/Unrecorded | Timing | Scope | Severity | Impact | ||||
| Ongoing | Minority (<50%) | Slow, Significant Declines | Low Impact: 5 | ||||||
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| Residential & commercial development | Housing & urban areas | Timing | Scope | Severity | Impact | ||||
| Ongoing | Minority (<50%) | No decline | Low Impact: 4 | ||||||
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| Residential & commercial development | Tourism & recreation areas | Timing | Scope | Severity | Impact | ||||
| Ongoing | Minority (<50%) | No decline | Low Impact: 4 | ||||||
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| Transportation & service corridors | Roads & railroads | Timing | Scope | Severity | Impact | ||||
| Ongoing | Minority (<50%) | Negligible declines | Low Impact: 4 | ||||||
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| Transportation & service corridors | Utility & service lines | Timing | Scope | Severity | Impact | ||||
| Ongoing | Minority (<50%) | Negligible declines | Low Impact: 4 | ||||||
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| Purpose | Scale |
|---|---|
| Food - human | subsistence, national |
| Pets/display animals, horticulture | international |
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Species factsheet: Black-necked Crane Grus nigricollis. Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/species/factsheet/black-necked-crane-grus-nigricollis on 26/12/2024.
Recommended citation for factsheets for more than one species: BirdLife International (2024) IUCN Red List for birds. Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/species/search on 26/12/2024.