Himalayan monal diet1/28/2024 ![]() Their upper parts are covered with mottled brownish-black feathers. Female Plumage:įemales, while considerably duller than the males, are still quite attractive. The male also has a bare patch of turquoise blue skin around the eye.įirst year males resemble the hens, but are largerįirst year males and immatures resemble females, except for males being larger and they have black feathers on the neck and breast. The breast and underparts are black and the tail is copper. The males also have a large white patch on the rump. The tail feathers are uniformly rufous being darker towards the tips. ![]() The adult male has a long, metallic-green crest, much like a peacock, changeable reddish copper on the back and sides of the neck and a prominent white back and rump while in flight. The male’s impressive display features bowing and vigorous waving of the rufous tail, but it is the iridescent plumage on the wings and neck that give the bird its reputation as the “nine-colored bird” consisting of interspersing mix of metallic colors of green, purple, red and blue. It is a relatively large sized bird averaging 2.3 feet (~70 cm) in length, the weight of males and females range between 4.4 and 5.2 lbs (1980 gram – 2 380 gram respectively).įemales tend to be slightly smaller and lighter. These pheasants are amongst the most beautiful pheasants due to their striking metallic-colored plumage. ![]() Males had been under heavy hunting pressure for its crest feather, which was used to ornament hats of Himachal men, until 1982 when legal hunting was banned in the state.Ī recent survey carried out in Arunachal Pradesh discovered a new type of Lophophorus species and its identity, though believed to be a subspecies of Sclater’s monal or a potential new species, is yet to be confirmed. The status of this pheasant is still fairly secure, although its cousin the Chinese Monal is classified as threatened due to poaching and other anthropogenic factors. This species is considered stable throughout much of its range, but may have been eliminated in Afghanistan. Outside that season, they tend to form large coveys and involve in communal roosting. They are usually seen in pairs during the breeding season, which is from April to August. These pheasants exhibit great tolerance to snow and are often seen digging in it foraging for food They seem to exhibit clear and fluctuating altitudinal migration moving down as low as 6,500 feet in winter and up to 16,000 feet in the summer. These pheasants prefer cool upper temperate oak-conifer forests interspersed with open grassy slopes, cliffs and alpine meadows mostly at 9,000 to 10,000 ft elevations. There is also a report of its occurrence in Myanmar. They can be found in Bhutan and countries of Pakistan, India (states of Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttaranchal, Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh), Nepal, and Southern Tibet. They are endemic to the Himalayas, eastern Afghanistan to western China. The male remains close by for protection and helps to raise the chicks for the six months it takes for the young to become self-sufficient.ĭid you know? The Himalayan monal is the national bird of Nepal.The Himalayan Monal Pheasant ( Lophophorus impejanus) is also regionally known as the Impeyan Monal or Impeyan Pheasant. Females dig a shallow nest in the ground and lay 3 – 5 eggs which she incubates for 27 days. Life Cycle: Himalayan monals use a variety of calls for communication and the male is very vocal throughout the day in early breeding season while trying to attract a mate. In certain areas Himalayan monals are considered a species at risk.ĭiet: Avid diggers, Himalayan monals use their strong beak and claws to dig for food items such as roots, insects, and seeds, making a distinct pattern in the soil where they have been foraging. In the summer months these pheasants forage on grassy areas, but in the colder winter months they inhabit forested areas where they can find shelter. Female colouration is a mix of brown and buff, with a pale blue ring around the eye and prominent white patch under the chin.ĭistribution and Habitat: A high-altitude species, the Himalayan monal is found in a wide range in the Himalayas, from Afghanistan to Bhutan, India, and Tibet. The short tail is red-brown, the breast and underparts are black, and a white rump patch and brown wings show in flight. The male has a metallic green crest, with red feathers mixing to blue along the back. Description: The Himalayan monal has striking colour characteristics that set it apart from other ornamental pheasants.
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