The Himalayan monal (Lophophorus impejanus), also called Impeyan monal and Impeyan pheasant, is a pheasant native to Himalayan forests and shrublands at elevations of 2,100–4,500 m (6,900–14,800 ft). It is part of the family Phasianidae and is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List.[1] It is the national bird of Nepal, where it is known as the danphe or danfe,[2] and state bird of Uttarakhand, India, where it is known as a monal.[3] The scientific name commemorates Lady Mary Impey, the wife of the British chief justice of Bengal, Sir Elijah Impey.
It is a relatively large-sized pheasant. The bird is about 70 cm (28 in) long. The male weighs up to 2,380 g (84 oz) and the female 2,150 g (76 oz). The adult male has multicoloured plumage throughout, while the female, as in other pheasants, is more subdued in colour. Notable features in the male include a long, metallic green crest, coppery feathers on the back and neck, and a prominent white rump that is most visible when the bird is in flight. The tail feathers of the male are uniformly rufous, becoming darker towards the tips, whereas the lower tail coverts of females are white, barred with black and red. The female has a prominent white patch on the throat and a white strip on the tail. The first-year male and the juvenile resemble the female, but the first-year male is larger and the juvenile is less distinctly marked.
The Himalayan monal's native range extends from Afghanistan and Pakistan through the Himalayas in India, Nepal, southern Tibet and Bhutan.[1] In Pakistan, it is most common in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province and has also been recorded in Kaghan, Palas Valley and Azad Kashmir.[4] In India, it has been recorded throughout the Indian Himalayan Region from Jammu and Kashmir to Arunachal Pradesh.[5] It lives in upper temperate oak-conifer forests interspersed with open grassy slopes, cliffs and alpine meadows between 2,400 and 4,500 m (7,900 and 14,800 ft), where it is most common between 2,700 and 3,700 m (8,900 and 12,100 ft). It descends to 2,000 m (6,600 ft) in the winter. It tolerates snow and digs through it to obtain plant roots and invertebrate prey.[citation needed]
The diet of the Himalayan monal consists primarily of tubers, nuts, tender leaves, shoots, insects and other invertebrates. It digs in snow for shoots and invertebrates. Plant matter made up a large part of the diet, although invertebrate matter was also present in low percentages.[6]
Conservationedit
In some areas, the Himalayan monal is threatened due to poaching and other anthropogenic factors. In the western Himalayas, the population responded negatively to human disturbance involving hydroelectric power development.[7] It is not considered endangered in Pakistan and can be easily located. In some areas, the population density of the species is as high as five pairs per square mile. The main threat to the species is poaching, as the crest is valuable. It is thought to bring status to its wearer and is a symbol of authority.[4]
Referencesedit
^ abcdBirdLife International (2016). "Lophophorus impejanus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2016: e.T22679182A92806166. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T22679182A92806166.en. Retrieved 19 January 2022.
^"Animal stories: Danfe". The Himalayan Times. 2007. Retrieved 2019-12-03.
^Goswami, A. (2012). [Monal is one of the most beautiful birds]. Prabha Sakshi (in Hindi). Archived from the original on 12 April 2013.
^ ab"Himalayan Monal". Pheasants of Pakistan. Wildlife of Pakistan. Retrieved 24 February 2013.
^"Sclater's Monal and Himalayan Monal sighted in Arunachal's Upper Siang". EastMojo. 2021-06-08.
^Hussain, M.S.; Sultana, A. (2013). "Diet of threatened Pheasant species in Himalayas, India – A faecal analysis approach". Ecologia Balkanica. 5 (1): 57–68.
^Jolli, V. & Pandit, M. K. (2011). "Influence of human disturbance on the abundance of Himalayan Pheasant (Aves, Galliformes) in the temperate forest of Western Himalaya, India". Vestnik Zoologii. 45 (6): e40–e47. doi:10.2478/v10058-011-0035-0. S2CID 55089271.
External linksedit
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Lophophorus impejanus.
BirdLife Species Factsheet
February 15, 2024
himalayan, monal, lophophorus, impejanus, also, called, impeyan, monal, impeyan, pheasant, pheasant, native, himalayan, forests, shrublands, elevations, part, family, phasianidae, listed, least, concern, iucn, list, national, bird, nepal, where, known, danphe,. The Himalayan monal Lophophorus impejanus also called Impeyan monal and Impeyan pheasant is a pheasant native to Himalayan forests and shrublands at elevations of 2 100 4 500 m 6 900 14 800 ft It is part of the family Phasianidae and is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List 1 It is the national bird of Nepal where it is known as the danphe or danfe 2 and state bird of Uttarakhand India where it is known as a monal 3 The scientific name commemorates Lady Mary Impey the wife of the British chief justice of Bengal Sir Elijah Impey Himalayan monalMaleFemaleConservation statusLeast Concern IUCN 3 1 1 CITES Appendix I CITES 1 Scientific classificationDomain EukaryotaKingdom AnimaliaPhylum ChordataClass AvesOrder GalliformesFamily PhasianidaeGenus LophophorusSpecies L impejanusBinomial nameLophophorus impejanus Latham 1790 Contents 1 Description 2 Distribution and habitat 3 Behaviour and ecology 4 Conservation 5 References 6 External linksDescription editThis section does not cite any sources Please help improve this section by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed March 2020 Learn how and when to remove this template message It is a relatively large sized pheasant The bird is about 70 cm 28 in long The male weighs up to 2 380 g 84 oz and the female 2 150 g 76 oz The adult male has multicoloured plumage throughout while the female as in other pheasants is more subdued in colour Notable features in the male include a long metallic green crest coppery feathers on the back and neck and a prominent white rump that is most visible when the bird is in flight The tail feathers of the male are uniformly rufous becoming darker towards the tips whereas the lower tail coverts of females are white barred with black and red The female has a prominent white patch on the throat and a white strip on the tail The first year male and the juvenile resemble the female but the first year male is larger and the juvenile is less distinctly marked Distribution and habitat edit nbsp A female in Pangolakha Wildlife Sanctuary IndiaThe Himalayan monal s native range extends from Afghanistan and Pakistan through the Himalayas in India Nepal southern Tibet and Bhutan 1 In Pakistan it is most common in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province and has also been recorded in Kaghan Palas Valley and Azad Kashmir 4 In India it has been recorded throughout the Indian Himalayan Region from Jammu and Kashmir to Arunachal Pradesh 5 It lives in upper temperate oak conifer forests interspersed with open grassy slopes cliffs and alpine meadows between 2 400 and 4 500 m 7 900 and 14 800 ft where it is most common between 2 700 and 3 700 m 8 900 and 12 100 ft It descends to 2 000 m 6 600 ft in the winter It tolerates snow and digs through it to obtain plant roots and invertebrate prey citation needed Behaviour and ecology edit nbsp Himalayan monal eggs collection in Museum WiesbadenThe diet of the Himalayan monal consists primarily of tubers nuts tender leaves shoots insects and other invertebrates It digs in snow for shoots and invertebrates Plant matter made up a large part of the diet although invertebrate matter was also present in low percentages 6 Conservation editIn some areas the Himalayan monal is threatened due to poaching and other anthropogenic factors In the western Himalayas the population responded negatively to human disturbance involving hydroelectric power development 7 It is not considered endangered in Pakistan and can be easily located In some areas the population density of the species is as high as five pairs per square mile The main threat to the species is poaching as the crest is valuable It is thought to bring status to its wearer and is a symbol of authority 4 References edit a b c d BirdLife International 2016 Lophophorus impejanus IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2016 e T22679182A92806166 doi 10 2305 IUCN UK 2016 3 RLTS T22679182A92806166 en Retrieved 19 January 2022 Animal stories Danfe The Himalayan Times 2007 Retrieved 2019 12 03 Goswami A 2012 सबस स दर प छ य म स एक म न ल Monal is one of the most beautiful birds Prabha Sakshi in Hindi Archived from the original on 12 April 2013 a b Himalayan Monal Pheasants of Pakistan Wildlife of Pakistan Retrieved 24 February 2013 Sclater s Monal and Himalayan Monal sighted in Arunachal s Upper Siang EastMojo 2021 06 08 Hussain M S Sultana A 2013 Diet of threatened Pheasant species in Himalayas India A faecal analysis approach Ecologia Balkanica 5 1 57 68 Jolli V amp Pandit M K 2011 Influence of human disturbance on the abundance of Himalayan Pheasant Aves Galliformes in the temperate forest of Western Himalaya India Vestnik Zoologii 45 6 e40 e47 doi 10 2478 v10058 011 0035 0 S2CID 55089271 External links edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Lophophorus impejanus BirdLife Species Factsheet Galliforms and Pheasants Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Himalayan monal amp oldid 1204174819, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
