News: Blyth’s tragopan is an indicator species for some of Asia’s most biodiverse and least-explored mountain ecosystems.
About Blyth’s Tragopan
- Blyth’s tragopan is a rare and colourful mountain ground-dwelling pheasant.
- Family: Phasianidae
- Scientific name: Tragopan blythii
- Habitat: It lives in montane broadleaf forests, rhododendron forests, bamboo thickets, and dense undergrowth.
- It prefers moist, cool mountain environments with thick vegetation.
- Migration: During winter, it descends to elevations of about 1,400 metres. In summer, it moves up to higher altitudes of around 3,300 metres.
- Distribution: It is found in Bhutan, northeast India, northern Myanmar, southeastern Tibet, and parts of China.
- In India, it is mainly found in Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland (State bird), Mizoram, and Manipur.
- It is the state bird of Nagaland.
- Physical Features:
- The male Blyth’s tragopan has a deep brown upper body marked with red, maroon, and white spots.
- Its breast is bright crimson with a distinct black half-collar beneath the chin.
- The face is orange-yellow and bordered by a black crown and collar.
- The head, neck, and shoulders show vivid scarlet feathers.
- During the breeding season, the male develops pale blue horns and an inflated, brightly coloured throat lappet.
- The male measures about 65 to 70 centimetres and female measures about 59 centimetres in length.
- The female has pale grey-brown feathers with faint spots that help her blend into the forest floor.
- Behaviour: It is usually found alone or in small groups of four to five birds. The bird is most active during early morning and late evening hours.
- Diet: It feeds mainly on seeds, berries, shoots, leaves, and insects found on the forest floor.
- Threats: Habitat destruction caused by anthropogenic activities
- Conservation Status: IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: Vulnerable
- Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972: Schedule I
- CITES: Appendix I
