Young ones: Chicks
Food: Himalayan monals are carnivore (insectivores) and herbivore (granivores, frugivores) pheasents. They feed on insects, seeds, tubers, roots, and berries.
Life span:10-12 years
Sound/s: Himalayan monals are very communicative and use various bird calls to express aggression, alarm, and attract a mate.
Habitat: Their native habitat extends from Afghanistan and Pakistan to the Himalayas in India, Nepal, southern Tibet, and Bhutan. These pheasants typically reside in the oak-conifer forests of cool upper temperate regions.
Other facts:
- Aka the ‘nine-coloured bird of the Himalayas’, this large colourful pheasant is a native of Himalayan forests. The adult male has multicoloured plumage throughout, while the female, as in other pheasants, is more subdued in colour.
- The female has a prominent white patch on the throat and a white stripe on the tail. Both females and males have a characteristic blue patch around their eyes.
- They have strong legs and a long, curved beak that enables them to dig into the hard soil of the mountains for food. They forage for food throughout the day and dig extensively with their bills, often up to 25cm deep.
Also Read: Pangolin