Description:

Large sized dimorphic pheasant with iridescent male and smaller crested uniform greyish brown female. Male is iridescent green, copper and purple, with white patch on back and cinnamon-brown tail. Female has white throat, short crest, boldly streaked underparts, white crescent on uppertail-coverts, and narrow white tip to tail.

Distribution:

Uncommon resident in the south-western parts of Diamer, Gilgit and Ghizer districts. Inhabits open coniferous or mixed forests with thick understorey around 2500m, venturing into alpine meadows up to 4500m in summer.

Behavior:

A little less wary than others of the genus. Digs extensively with bill, creating distinctive dug-over areas on hillsides. Species forages throughout day, sometimes in loose groups. Diet apparently varies according to locality, but includes seeds, tubers, shoots, berries, insects and their larvae; terrestrial insects and tubers make up most of food taken.

Photo Gallery:

Range & Occurrence:

Resident Species

Summer Breeder

Winter Visitor

Passage Migrant

Distribution Map of Himalayan Monal in Gilgit-Baltistan (Status: )

Seasonal Occurrence of Himalayan Monal

Resources:

Birds of Pakistan: Helm Field Guides (R. Grimmett & T. Inskipp)
The Birds of Pakistan (T. J. Roberts)
Birds of the Indian Subcontinent (C. Inskipp, R. Grimmett & T. Inskipp)
Birds of South Asia: The Ripley Guide (P. Rasmussen & J. Anderton)
Birds of India: Collins Field Guide (N. Arlott)
Handbook of the Birds of India and Pakistan (S. Ali & S. D. Ripley)
Handbook of the Birds of the World (https://www.hbw.com)
The Clements Checklist of Birds of the World, 6th Edition
iNaturalist BoGB (inaturalist.org/projects/birds-of-gilgit-baltistan)
Birds of Gilgit-Baltistan (http://fb.me/birdsgb)

*Gallery images on this page are shared from flickr.com, and are copyrighted to their respective creators or owners.