![]() We spent at least half an hour ogling at them till one of them finally took flight and the other one moved away to a higher hillock before disappearing beyond the mountains. We applied the same tactics again and this time they were even less concerned by the voyeuristic intruders. What is better than a Monal? A pair of them!Īfter some time, as we were returning, luck smiled again. I tried but did not get a good shot of it in flight. The bird was reasonably tolerant but after a point it lost patience and flew away. I clicked pictures after every step and the images become gradually bigger and clearer till it reached a point where I could publish them without embarrassing myself. ![]() It was not easy as it was just an open meadow without anything to hide behind. The light was much better and we summoned every guerrilla tactics learnt from the movies to get as close to it as possible without alarming it. The morning was better and we were considering a climb to Chandrashila but the first thing we noticed en route was another Monal. It was a disappointing day and at night I dreamt of one of them showing me its middle feather. We saw a couple fly away but there was not enough to click. However, after a while the mist subsided and we reached the edge of the plain, beyond which there was a deep, vertigo-inducing gorge. Did you know Also known as the Impeyan monal, it is the national bird of Nepal. The 200mm zoom was just not enough and soon a thick veil of mist obliterated whatever view was remaining. ![]() On the evening of the first day, I noticed one, roaming around on the open space on the edge from the Tungnath temple. A one-year-old male Himalayan monal (Lophophorus impejanus) was presented for veterinary attention with a history of chronic wasting, weakness and ataxia. But the lodge owner mentioned the bird and he even mentioned musk deer although that was nowhere to be seen. The Lophophorus impejanus (scientific name) or Himalayan monal is found in oak-conifer forests from Eastern Afghanistan through the Himalayas in Pakistan. I was there in Chopta for the rhododendrons rather than the Monal. Originally I did not have much clue about the bird. There is of course the usual pressure of hunting and habitat loss but I was glad to discover that it is not really considered endangered… not yet at least. It can fly, but I guess it is not built for long hauls. That is why if it is around, you can spot it easily and can get a photograph or two even with substandard equipment as I did. It is delightfully colourful and also of reasonably large size. The Himalayan Monal is a pheasant endemic to the Himalayan region. ![]() But as of now, I can no longer resist sharing this story of epic stalking. Detailed travelogue regarding the place will come later. Although there was not enough time, it was an experience worth its time. Definitely, not the ones to shy away from communication.Our first day at Chopta and Tungnath was gloomy. They are also known to have a range of calls to express everything from raising an alarm to calling out to a potential mate. 3132 likes, 24 comments - Nature inFocus (natureinfocus) on Instagram: FromTheArchives The Himalayan Monal (Lophophorus impejanus) is one of the. The Himalayan monal is the national bird of Nepal, where it is known as the danphe or danfe. I was lucky that, witnessed and recorded very specific behavior of male Monal tryin. So here is an entire story dedicated to this handsome bird!īefore we get onto their morphology, habitats and mating rituals, how about some fun facts? Did you know that Himalayan Monals are frequently mentioned in Nepali songs? They are called Danfe in the local language. I captured this video in morning at Kedarnath Wildlife Sanctuary, Chopta. We would be lying if we did not say that we are utterly fascinated by the Himalayan Monal. Over the years, we have received numerous Himalayan Monal images-of its colours glistening in the sunlight against the backdrop of Sikkim's hilly terrain, perched on a cliff or as an iridescent blot of colour amid white snow. The Himalayan monal is one of the most colorful birds here at the Sacramento Zoo. Females tend to be slightly smaller and lighter. It is a relatively large sized bird averaging 2.3 feet (70 cm) in length, the weight of males and females range between 4.4 and 5.2 lbs (1980 gram 2 380 gram respectively). Whether you are one of the lucky ones to witness this bird in all its glory in person or you are just looking at a photograph-the Himalayan Monal always leaves an impression. Few days ago, the forest department wrote to the Tourism Council of Bhutan (TCB) claiming that Himalayan monal, a sub-alpine pheasant species. These pheasants are amongst the most beautiful pheasants due to their striking metallic-colored plumage. There is something about encountering a Himalayan Monal. The Himalayan Monal is the national bird of Nepal and as the name suggests inhabits the Himalayan Mountains at high altitudes which can be anything from around.
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