India pauses to count its tallest fliers in the first-ever nationwide Sarus crane census

For two days, birdwatchers and researchers across India have been counting the world's tallest flying bird in its first-ever synchronized national census. The Bombay Natural History Society is running the October 10–11 survey to map Sarus crane breeding grounds and wetlands — birds that stand 1.5 metres tall, mate for life, and are found nowhere breeding year-round except India. Around 20,000 were counted in Uttar Pradesh alone in 2024, a hopeful sign for a species listed as vulnerable.