Black-necked crane makes its first appearance at Chaiwopu Lake National Wetland Park

Shiliuyun-Xinjiang Daily (Reporter Zhao Mei) news: On April 11, 2026, a black-necked crane appeared in Chaiwopu Lake National Wetland Park in Dabancheng District, Urumqi, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. As the news spread, it quickly attracted numerous birdwatching enthusiasts from both within and outside Xinjiang, all eager to catch a glimpse of the "plateau spirit." Ma Ming, a researcher at the Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, stated that this marks the first appearance of the black-necked crane in the wetlands around Urumqi, as well as the first record of the species in northern Xinjiang.

Photo taken on April 11, 2026 shows a birdwatching enthusiast spots black-necked crane in Chaiwopu Lake National Wetland Park in Dabancheng District, Urumqi City, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. (Photo by Xia Yong)

Xia Yong, a birdwatching enthusiast from Xinjiang, drove to the wetland as soon as he learned that a black-necked crane had appeared in the wetland park. "After searching for over half an hour, I finally spotted the black-necked crane among a flock of dozens of gray cranes. It was foraging with its head down, slightly larger than the gray cranes. About two-thirds of its head and front neck were black, and its distinctly black tail made it stand out conspicuously among the gray cranes."

The black-necked crane is a first-class national protected animal in China and the only crane species that breeds and lives on plateaus. It primarily inhabits plateaus, meadows, and marshlands at altitudes ranging from 2,500 to 5,000 meters. Within China, its main breeding grounds are on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, while its main wintering areas are on the Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau, earning it the title of "plateau spirit." The Altun Mountain National Nature Reserve is one of the northernmost habitats of the black-necked crane in China, where over 100 individuals are found.

Photo shows the black-necked crane in Chaiwopu Lake National Wetland Park, and this is the first record of its presence in northern Xinjiang. (Photo by Zhao Chunhui)

"There have been no previous records of black-necked crane sightings in Urumqi. In the past, only gray cranes and demoiselle cranes have appeared in Chaiwopu Lake National Wetland Park during migration seasons," said Ma Ming. "It is truly rare for this black-necked crane to appear around Urumqi after crossing deserts and the Tianshan Mountains. Gray cranes and black-necked cranes share very similar habitat preferences and sometimes live in mixed groups. This black-necked crane may be a non-breeding individual that followed a group of gray cranes here. It might also continue migrating northward with the gray crane flock. This phenomenon is definitely worth further attention."

The Chaiwopu Lake National Wetland Park, located on the northern slope of the Tianshan Mountains, is an important stopover for migratory birds around Urumqi. In recent years, thanks to enhanced ecological protection efforts in the wetland, key protected bird species such as the whooper swan, gray crane, and demoiselle crane, as well as key protected wildlife species including the red fox and goitered gazelle, have been monitored in the area.

Photo shows the black-necked cranes and gray cranes are in the same flock. (Photo by Xia Yong)

"The black-necked crane's first visit as a 'guest' is an affirmation of our ecological protection efforts," said Zhou Xudong, director of the Chaiwopu Lake National Wetland Park Management Office. "In recent years, we have successively implemented ecological restoration and protection measures such as 'returning farmland to replenish the lake,' 'diverting floodwater to recharge the lake,' 'limiting extraction to restore the lake,' and 'enclosing the lake with fencing.' As a result, both the water area and vegetation coverage within the wetland have been restored and expanded, providing sufficient food and a safe habitat for migratory birds like the black-necked crane. Going forward, the wetland park will continue to strengthen patrols and monitoring, intensify ecological protection efforts, and create an even safer and more comfortable habitat for the black-necked crane and other migratory birds."

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