Black-necked crane, as the first-class national protected animal in China, enjoys a good reputation of the "auspicious bird" and is well known by its Tibetan name "Chongchong". This rare species mainly lives in plateau, meadow, and swamp area at an altitude of 2,500 meters to 5,000 meters, and is the only one of the 15 crane species in the world that completes breeding and wintering in the plateau area. Because of its unique ecological habits, black-necked crane is also known as the "plateau crane", being the only plateau resident among all crane species in the world.

At present, half of the bird migration season has passed. Groups of black-necked cranes from Sichuan, Qinghai and other places, arrived in Xizang for overwintering after long-distance trek.

Reporter: Wang Jing

Photo: Lhoke, Yeshe Chozin

Translator: Zhi Xinghua, Liu Fang

Review: Hu Rongguo, Li Chengye