BIRDS
BUTTERFLIES
INSECTS
PHEASANTS
HIMALAYAN MONAL PHEASANT
(Lophophorus impejanus)
Bird of nine colours’ ,. Male is iridescent green, copper and purple with white patch on back and cinnamon-brown tail and a prominent crest. Female has white throat, short crest, boldly streaked underparts, white crescent on upper tail coverts, and narrow white tip to tail. Inhabits alpine and sub-alpine tracts during summer(3300m-4500m) and descends to lower altitudes in winter(2500m). The main threat arises from hunting and trapping for local consumption and plumes. Including in Schedule I of Wildlife Protection Act, 1972. Endangered as per IUCN Red Data Book.
WESTERN TRAGOPAN
(Tragopan melanocephalus)
Locally known as ‘Jujurana’. Male is large brightly coloured with golden breast. Body heavily spotted, black crown, bright red hind neck and cheeks with green throat. Female greyish brown, spotted white. Long thick tail and long pink legs. A resident endemic to Himalayan eco-system covering both temperate and sub-alpine zone of western and north western Himalayas between 2500m and 3700m. The jot site near Daranghati wildlife sanctuary is definite site of Western Tragopan. The main threat is loss of habitat compounded by high hunting levels of market demand for its skin and meat. Included in Schedule I of Wildlife protection Act, 1972. Endangered as per IUCN Red Data Book.
KOKLASS PHEASANT
(Purcrasia macrolopha)
Qwes its name to the crow of the cock. Male has bottle green head with brown and golden crown and crest. Prominent white lower cheeks, underparts chestnut with streaked appearance. Female has white throat, buff short ear-tufts and heavily streaked bodt. Both sexes have wadge shaped tail. It can be observed between 2400m and 3100m in fir spruce forests, though also occurs in oak-deodar areas. Shimla water catchment has been reported as its one of the highest density areas. Sightings are common in Kalatop, Khajjiar Wildlife sanctuaries. Included in Schedule IV of Wildlife Protection Act, 1972.
INDIAN PEAFWOL
(Pavo cristatus)
National Bird, locally known as ‘Mor’. Male has small head, deep blue neck and breast and spectacular glossy train of elongated green upper tail-covert feathers up to 1.5m in length with numerous blue centered ‘eyes’, fanned high in shimmering display. Grey coverts and chestnut wings. Female brown-whitish below, black barred fore neck and breast; green hind neck. Wide spread in lowlands of Shiwalik ranges and mainly below 300m. It has also been reported in path nallah in kullu district, Kashla village in Nargu and Chail Wildlife sanctuary. Included in Schedule I of Wildlife Protection Act,1972.
CHEER PHEASANT
(Catreus wallichi)
Large pale game bird with very long tail. Male black barred, grey above and on breast; buff belly and browner on strongly barred tail and rump. Long back swept brown crest and red face. Female similar but browner and short tailed. Male is more cleanly and strongly marked than female. Altitudinal distribution range is 1600-2500m mainly on steep, south facing grassy slope with chir pine trees or scrub vegetation. Chail, Kugti, Daranghatti wildlife sanctuaries and upper Beas valley have its viable population. Included in Schedules I of Wildlife Protection Act, 1972. Endangered as per IUCN Red Data Book.
KALIJ PHEASANT
(Lophura leucomelanos)
Male is large blackish game bird with white crest. Brown scaling on upper, silvery on rump, heavily feathered whitish flanks, red face, long and thick black tail. Female brown with buff scaling. Keep small parties, fairly common in western Himalayas 245m and 350m in pure ban oak forests as well as mixed forests of deodar, blue pine and kharsu oak, especially on northern aspect in thick undergrowth but also frequents cultivation in vicinity of human habitations. The Shimla water catchment, Majathal, Kalatop, Khajjiar and Churdhar wildlife sanctuaries its good population. Included in Schedule IV of Wildlife protection Act, 1972.
RED JUNGLE FOWL
(Gallus gallus)
A gregarious bird, locally known as ‘Lal jungle Murga’,frequently sighted on roads in the morning and evening. Male has red comp and ear lobes, and wattles, orange and golden yellow neck hackles, blackish-brwon underparts and long black sickle-shaped tail. The female has naked reddish face, black streaked golden’shawl’ and rufous-brown underparts streaked with buff. Mainly occus in sub-tropical dry-ever green forests of Shiwalik ranges and lower Himalayas. Reported to have contaminated as it hybrids frequently with domestic or feral chichen, however, pure species still exist in HP, which need to be conserved. Included in Schedule IV of Wildlife protection Act, 1972.