Rare black-necked cranes seen in northwest China's Qinghai

Photographers have spotted three black-necked cranes and more than 30 common cranes in Golmud, northwest China's Qinghai Province.　

The birds sometimes roamed freely, sometimes hovered, and sometimes landed　in lakeside meadows to rest and feed.　

The black-necked cranes, a species under first-class state protection in China, mainly inhabit plateau meadows and marshe at an altitude of 2,500 to 5,000 meters.　The common cranes are under second-class state protection, mostly living in flocks, often inhabiting open meadows, lakes, river beaches and swamps.