Anthropoides virgo - The demoiselle crane is the smallest bird of the Gruidae family, the crane family. It is distributed from the Black Sea to Mongolia. The demoiselle cranes from Mongolia have the toughest migratory route of any bird. Starting in late August and early September, large flocks of several hundred cranes gather to begin an arduous trek. Their journey takes them to altitudes of 8,000 meters as they cross over the Himalaya Mountains; they return north via the same route in March.
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Mongolia is the least densely populated country and the second largest landlocked country in the world; Kazakhstan is first. Mongolia came onto the world stage with the rise of the Mongol Empire in 1206. The Mongol Empire took full control of China by 1279 and in a twist of fate, was taken over by China’s Qing Dynasty towards the end of the 17th century. The Qing Dynasty controlled Mongolia for over 200 years. From 1924 until 1992, Mongolia was retained as a satellite of the Soviet Union.
