Population Estimation, Identification of Stopover Sites and Documenting People’s Perception Towards Demoiselle Crane Anthropoides virgo (Linnaeus, 1758) During the Autumn Migration from Kaligandaki Valley, Nepal

Abstract

Monitoring of birds that migrates from the migratory corridor provides the information on status of the birds and its movement ecology. The Kaligandaki valley is one of the major migratory route for the Demoiselle Cranes. The autumn migration counts of Demoiselle Crane (Anthropoides virgo) was carried out in Upper Mustang from September to October 2017. Migration counts were conducted during the day using by photographing each migrating flock and by direct visual counts. Crane stopover sites were recorded by direct observations and through semi-structured survey. A total of 8,166 individuals were counted in the month of September and October 2017 in 40 different flocks. The arrival of the Crane in the study area was from 9am to 12 noon only to avoid the strong headwinds that generates after noon. The local impacts such as time, wind speed and cloud cover made impact on number of Demoiselle Cranes. The overhead cloud cover changes the flight direction of migrating Cranes. The area at Damodarkunda, Lomangthang, Chaile, Chuksang, Kagbeni, Tukuche and Marpha were the stopover sites used by Demoiselle Cranes. The stopover areas were mainly wetland, farmland and river banks. The major threat identified was habitat destruction, change in agricultural practices, free-ranging dogs and hunting.