Demoiselle Crane

Bird Feeding Tradition : A tiny village, Khichan has gained popular appeal amongst bird watching community following a section of local people offering grains to birds every morning, which attracted Demoiselle Cranes to usurp the feed of other birds, so to say. And they are in thousands. It is great spectacle to watch these Cranes swoop down at an especially created rectangular enclosure for their morning breakfast.

The feeding session lasts for an hour and a half, one group takes off and another settles. Their flight in the backdrop of the traditional mansions of the village presents wonderful opportunities of photo-sessions. The feeding birds in the ground are at hand shaking distance from us. We are offered vantage positions over the terrace of local innocent looking people who feel proud doing so.

Demoiselle Cranes : The Demoiselles spend their day at couple of water bodies towards north of Khichan. They go to far off agriculture fields to roost and can be sighted returning to the same water bodies early morning. A dozen other common bird species surround them here, dominated by Peacocks.

Some vantage tracks are available around Khichan to offer us enhanced opportunities for birding. Khichan is combined with drive to and fro Jaisalmer, it is near Phalodi (Jodhpur district of Rajasthan). Half day at Khichan and remaining half day in adjoining desert habitat is sufficient.