Why Thousands of Cranes Migrate to This Tiny Indian Village | BBC Earth
5 Video Views·Jul 29, 2025
Thousands of cranes migrate to the village of Khichan, India every year thanks to the extraordinary hospitality of the villagers. The villagers provide food and protection, making this a safe stop on their migration journey, creating a rare bond between humans and nature.
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Travelling across India, back along the monsoon's path,
to the far west of the country lies the Tar Desert.
It is the hottest place in India.
It can be a tough place to make your home.
Which makes it all the more surprising that the people of Kitchin
are scattering their precious grain on the dry ground inside their village.
One and a half tonnes of it.
Kitchin is a remote village hidden deep within the desert.
The villagers are followers of Jainism,
a religion that treats people and animals as equals.
They are preparing a welcoming party.
All for some very weary travellers.
Battling fatigue and hunger, the cranes have made it across the Himalayas.
When the people of Kitchin first started providing food for the cranes,
just 15 birds visited.
Now, there are a lot more.
In a single season, around 150,000 birds visit the village.
All have flown over 2,500 kilometres to be here.
The grain is a welcome sight.
Nowhere else in India is it possible to see this number of cranes this close.
Some will stay here all winter.
But for most, this is a staging post.
They still need to push further south,
out of the desert, to their wintering grounds in southern India.