6 Juvenile/first-winter Demoiselle Crane (Rajasthan, India, 16 January 2019).

The major wintering grounds of this species are in the

Subcontinent, and they provide an excellent opportunity to observe different ages at close range. Juvenile Demoiselle Cranes appear very pale headed with a poorly developed head and neck pattern and, as in Common Crane, they also have a more truncated rear end. This first-winter individual, photographed in January, echoes adult plumage but hasn’t yet developed the full head pattern. The feathering on the lower neck is also dark grey rather than black, and less extensive compared to mature birds.