Researchers fitted 12 birds in Gujarat with transmitters and tracked them from 2020 to 2025, gathering over 150,000 GPS locations. The findings reveal that even during non-breeding seasons, the birds remain closely tied to grassland habitats, using croplands only temporarily. Their migration spans 2.06 lakh sq km across western and central India; not along a single route, but through a broad network. Flying low (avg. 24.4m), they’re at high risk of colliding with power lines. Conservation must focus not just on preserving grassland patches, but also on connecting them. Isolated habitats force longer, riskier journeys. This isn’t just about one bird; it’s about saving India’s vanishing grasslands, which support far more than we realize.