Bhutan is a paradise for bird watchers. On the world scale, the country is recognized as forming the major part of an area of especially high biological diversity known as the Eastern Himalayan "Hot spot." Over 770 bird species have been recorded in Bhutan so far and many more species are likely to occur. This is a large number for the size of the country.

There are ten bird species in Bhutan, which have been identified as globally threatened by Bird Life International. These include the Black-necked Crane, one of the World's rarest and least known cranes, which traditionally winters in Bhutan, the Rufous-necked Hornbill, Blyth's Tragopan, and Blyth’s King fisher, Ward's Trogon, the chestnut-breasted partridge, the white-bellied heron, Wood snipe and Pallas's Fish Eagle. In addition, Bhutan is also home to winter visitors which breed farther north, such as migrant thrushes and for many breeding summer migrants including cuckoos and flycatchers. Most of Bhutan’s resident birds are Altitudinal migrants, which move up and down the mountains depending on the season and weather conditions.

Bhutan may also be internationally important for 114 species, which may have significant breeding population in the country. These birds have breeding ranges, which are restricted to an area encompassing the Himalayas, northeast India, northern south East Asia and southwest China.

Bhutan is an important wintering ground for the stately Black-necked cranes, one of the world's most threatened cranes. Each year, Phobjikha valley plays host to more than 230 threatened BNC adding another precious intrinsic value to its rich bio-diversity. It is now a known feature that the cranes fly every year to Bhutan around the third week of October. The local folks with the onset of winter having minimum work mark the arrival of the “Thrung Thrung” in the valley as a time for leisure.

They stay in the valley until around the first week of March foraging for bamboo tuber, insects, grains etc. The number of these Black-necked Cranes is declining every year. This is because of the drainage of their marshy habitat in some places and recent changes in traditional farming methods which have resulted in reduced availability of food for the cranes and partly because of the threats in their breeding areas. Total protection is given to the cranes in Bhutan and there are wardens at their main wintering areas in Phobjikha valley and at Bumdiling. The Royal Government has ensured that the cranes are undisturbed in Bhutan.

The Black-necked crane is important in local folklore and there are myths, legends and songs about the bird. The cranes are famous for their spectacular and beautiful dances in which they bow, leap into air and toss vegetation about whilst uttering loud bugling calls.

The Black-Necked Crane Festival is held every year in the month of November at Phobjikha valley with the following objectives:

• Raise awareness and the involvement of the public in activities that can lead to the conservation of the Black-necked Cranes.
• Foster and encourage understanding related to all phases of conservation of the rare and endangered Black-necked cranes and their critical habitat among the local population and visitors.
• Enhance opportunity for the tourists to learn more about better appreciate the local areas, natural and cultural heritage.
• Design, co-ordinate and advance community involvement in the organization of the festival, which will eventually contribute to conservation of the Black-necked Crane and economic development of the local community.
• Raise funds for ecologically sustainable economic development of the Phobjikha community and to change the attitude of the local community towards the conservation of the rare and endangered Black-necked Cranes.