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Himalayan Monal

Conservation status

Least Concern

Population Trend

Decreasing

Alternate Names

Impeyan Monal, Impeyan Pheasant, Danphe

Native Habitat

Forests, Grassy slopes, Cliffs

Diet

Plant roots, Insects

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Himalayan Monal

Lophophorus impejanus

Himalayan monal is a relatively large-sized pheasant. The adult male has multicoloured plumage throughout, while the female, as in other pheasants, is dull in colour. Notable features in the male include a long, metallic green crest, coppery feathers on the back and neck, and a prominent white rump that is most visible when the bird is in flight. The tail feathers of the male are uniformly rufous, becoming darker towards the tips, whereas the lower tail coverts of females are white, barred with black and red. The female has a prominent white patch on the throat and a white strip on the tail. The first-year male and the juvenile resemble the female, but the first-year male is larger and the juvenile is less distinctly marked.

Regional Names
  • Bengali:
    হিমালয়ের মোনাল
  • Bhojpuri:
    हिमालयी मोनल
  • Hindi:
    डाँफे, हिमालयी मोनाल
  • Malayalam:
    ഹിമാലയൻ മൊണാൽ
  • Nepali:
    डाँफे
  • Tamil:
    இமயமலை மோனல்
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Taxanomy

GALLIFORMES
PHASIANIDAE
Lophophorus impejanus

Quick Facts
  • It is the national bird of Nepal.
  • It is a state bird of Uttarakhand.