Himalayan Monal
The Himalayan Monal, also regionally known as the Impeyan Monal or the Impeyan Pheasant, is a stunningly colorful member of the Pheasant family. It’s a resident of the Himalayas, from eastern Afghanistan to western China.
The iridescent rainbow-like plumage of the male Himalayan monal is surpassed only by the slightly larger Chinese Monal. He possesses a multi-colored plumage throughout his body which consists of interspersing mix green, purple, red and blue. The male Himalayan monal is also notable with his long, metallic green crest, and the coppery feathers on his back and neck. The tail feathers are rufous, and the rump is white which is most visible when the bird is in flight. Female Himalayan monals don’t share the same splendour of their mates. They are overall dark brown, except for a white throat and rump patches. The female Himalayan monal also has a shorter crest which is brown with ordinary feathers. Both sexes have pale-yellow legs and bright blue circles around the eyes.
The breeding season of the Himalayan monal begins in April when these birds are at higher altitudes. The female lays between three and five eggs and incubates them for 27 days. While the female Himalayan monal does the incubation alone, the male stands guard throughout the incubation period. He also waits until chicks’ fledging to protect the chicks from predators. After six months, young Himalayan monals are completely independent and start their own journey.
The Himalayan Monal is a highly-valued bird in its place of origin, as it’s the national bird of Nepal and also the state bird of the Indian state Uttarakhand.
Place of origin | Afghanistan, Bhutan, India, Nepal, Myanmar and the Southern Tibet in China |
Use | Ornamental and preservation |
Weight | Male: up to 2380 g female: up to 2150 g |
Egg color | Buff and heavily dotted with dark brown |