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Difference between revisions of "Himalayan Monal" - BirdForum Opus

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(Picture of male display flight. Pictures 'galleried'. References updated)
 
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;Lophophorus impejanus
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[[Image:Himalayan_MonalJE.jpg|thumb|550px|right|Photo &copy; by {{user|James+Eaton|James Eaton}}<br />Sela Pass, Arunachal Pradesh, [[India]], April 2010 <!--EDITORS: this image does not appear in the Gallery-->]]
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[[Image:Himalayan_Monal.jpg|thumb|550px|right|Photo by peterlobo]]
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;[[:Category:Lophophorus|Lophophorus]] impejanus
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==Identification==
 
==Identification==
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Taken in Bhutan
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Male 70–72 cm (27½-28¼ in) weight 1980-2380g; female 63–64 cm (24¾-25¼ in) 1800-2150g<br />
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'''Males'''
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*Multicoloured
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*Long crest<br />
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'''Females'''
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*Dull brownish-black
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*White patch in the foreneck
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*White stripe on the tail
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==Distribution==
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[[Image:SM5A2200.jpg|thumb|350px|right|Female<br />Photo &copy; by {{user|Rajsurin|Rajsurin}}<br />Chopta, Uttarakhand, [[India]], December 2016]]
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[[Asia]]: found in [[Afghanistan]], south-western [[China]], southern [[Tibet]], [[Nepal]], [[Pakistan]], [[India]], Eastern and Western [[Himalayas]] and [[Bhutan]]<br />
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'''Southeast Asia''': [[Indochina]] and north-eastern [[Myanmar]]
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==Taxonomy==
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This is a [[Dictionary_M-O#M|monotypic]] species<sup>[[#References|[1]]]</sup>.
  
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==Habitat==
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Alpine oak-conifer forests and grassy slopes. Observed at heights around 4,000 meters.
  
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The Himalayan Monal, Lophophorus impejanus also known as the Impeyan Monal or Impeyan Pheasant is a bird of genus Lophophorus of the Pheasant family, Phasianidae. It is the National bird of Nepal, where it is known as the Danfe, and the state bird of Uttarakhand.
 
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It is a relatively large sized bird with reference to family Phasianidae. About 70 cm in length, the weight of males and females range between 1980-2380g and 1800-2150g respectively. Adult males possess a long crest, are feathered with multicoloured plumage throughout their body, while the females, like in other pheasants, are dull in colour with the upper parts covered with dark brownish-black feathers. Notable features in males are a long crest that is metallic green, changeable reddish copper on the back and sides of the neck and, a prominent white back and rump while in flight (birds of northwestern India lack this). Tail feathers of males are uniformly rufous being darker towards the tips, where as the lower tail coverts of females are white, barred with black and rufous. Females have a prominent white patch in the fore neck and a white strip on the tail. First year males and immatures resemble females, but first year males are larger and the immatures are less distinctly marked.
 
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The Himalayan Monal secures a distinct position among pheasants due to its prominent build, brilliant plumage and strong association with local folklore.
 
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==Distribution==
 
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Its natural range spreads from eastern Afghanistan through the Himalayas including Kashmir region of Northern Pakistan, India (states of Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh), Nepal, southern Tibet and Bhutan. There is also a report of its occurrence in Myanmar.
 
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==Habitat==
 
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It occupies upper temperate oak-conifer forests interspersed with open grassy slopes, cliffs and alpine meadows between 2400 – 4500m, mostly concentrating in a narrow belt of 2700 – 3700m. They seem to exhibit clear and fluctuating altitudinal migration reaching as low as 2000m in winter. They, however, show tolerance to snow and have been observed to dig through snow for roots, tubers and other plant parts, and invertebrates.
 
 
==Behaviour==
 
==Behaviour==
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Seen in pairs during the breeding season (April to August), they form large coveys and involve in communal roosting during the winter. The population of this species in most of its range is threatened due to poaching and other anthropogenic factors. The male monal has been under heavy hunting pressure for its crest feather, which was used for ornament hats of Himachal men, until 1982 when legal hunting was banned in the state.
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====Diet====
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Their diet consists of seeds, tubers, shoots, berries and insects; varying according to where they live.
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==Gallery==
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Click on photo for larger image
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<gallery>
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Image:Himalayan_Monal_behavior.jpg|Displaying Male and females<br />Photo &copy; by {{user|Dave+B+Smith|Dave B Smith}}<br />Cheele La, [[Bhutan]], 26 January 2020
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Image:Bhutan Birds-7823.jpg|Display flight<br />Photo &copy; by {{user|Dave+B+Smith|Dave B Smith}}<br />Cheele La, [[Bhutan]], 26 January 2020
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</gallery>
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==References==
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#{{Ref-Clements6thAug19}}#Avibase
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#Avibase
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#BF Member observations
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#Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive (retrieved January 2017)
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{{ref}}
 
==External Links==
 
==External Links==
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{{GSearch|Lophophorus+impejanus}}
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[[Category:Birds]]
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[[Category:Birds]] [[Category:Lophophorus]]

Latest revision as of 00:55, 23 February 2020

Photo © by James Eaton
Sela Pass, Arunachal Pradesh, India, April 2010
Lophophorus impejanus

Identification

Male 70–72 cm (27½-28¼ in) weight 1980-2380g; female 63–64 cm (24¾-25¼ in) 1800-2150g
Males

  • Multicoloured
  • Long crest

Females

  • Dull brownish-black
  • White patch in the foreneck
  • White stripe on the tail

Distribution

Female
Photo © by Rajsurin
Chopta, Uttarakhand, India, December 2016

Asia: found in Afghanistan, south-western China, southern Tibet, Nepal, Pakistan, India, Eastern and Western Himalayas and Bhutan
Southeast Asia: Indochina and north-eastern Myanmar

Taxonomy

This is a monotypic species[1].

Habitat

Alpine oak-conifer forests and grassy slopes. Observed at heights around 4,000 meters.

Behaviour

Diet

Their diet consists of seeds, tubers, shoots, berries and insects; varying according to where they live.

Gallery

Click on photo for larger image

References

  1. Clements, J. F., T. S. Schulenberg, M. J. Iliff, S. M. Billerman, T. A. Fredericks, B. L. Sullivan, and C. L. Wood. 2019. The eBird/Clements Checklist of Birds of the World: v2019. Downloaded from http://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/download/
  2. Avibase
  3. Avibase
  4. BF Member observations
  5. Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive (retrieved January 2017)

Recommended Citation

External Links

Retrieved from ‘https://www.birdforum.net/wiki/index.php?title=Himalayan_Monal&oldid=240832’
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