To watch cranes in Tibet, the best choice is the Hutoushan Reservoir in Linzhou County

On a clear winter morning, overwintering black-necked cranes dance gracefully at the Hutoushan Reservoir in Linzhou County, Lhasa. Linzhou County, in Tibetan, means 'a place naturally formed'. Here, with numerous rivers and reservoirs, it provides good conditions for irrigating farmland and is known as the 'granary' of Lhasa. As Linzhou County is mainly agricultural, large areas of farmland are connected, and the remaining straw after harvest is scattered in the fields, providing a guarantee for the black-necked cranes to find food in winter. The Hutoushan Reservoir, surrounded by mountains on two sides, is sheltered from the wind and faces the sun. The marsh is rich in aquatic plants. This group of birds, known as 'Chongchong' or 'auspicious birds', breed in northern Tibet in spring and migrate south along a fixed route after winter. The Lhasa River Valley and the Nianchu River Basin naturally become the favorite habitats of the black-necked cranes.