Western Tragopan
A species of Tragopans Scientific name : Tragopan melanocephalus Genus : Tragopans
Western Tragopan, A species of Tragopans
Botanical name: Tragopan melanocephalus
Genus: Tragopans
Content
Description General Info
Description
The western tragopan or western horned tragopan (Tragopan melanocephalus) is a medium-sized brightly plumed pheasant found along the Himalayas from north-eastern districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province in northern Pakistan in the west to Uttarakhand within India to the east. The species is highly endangered and globally threatened. 
Size
73 cm
Habitat
It inhabits upper temperate forests between 2,400 and 3,600 m in summer, and in winter, dense coniferous and broad-leaved forests between 2,000 and 2,800 m elevations. The western tragopan is mostly arboreal but feeds on the ground. They feed mostly on leaves, shoots and seeds, but also consume insects and other invertebrates. Like most pheasants, they roost in trees singly or in pairs except during nesting. During display, the males show the throat inflated into lappets that appear purple with pink margins. They also display blue horns with a fancied resemblance to those of the Greek mythological god Pan, whence the name tragopan (tragos "goat" + Pan). During the display they call and the song is a loud two-note ringing wou-weee which is repeated every second for long periods. The breeding season is May and June. They build their nests in low tree hollows. They are sensitive to anthropogenic disturbance and avoid disturbed habitats (for instance, hydro-electric project development sites).
General Info
Distribution Area
Five populations are known from Kohistan District, Pakistan, Kaghan valley, Pakistan Kishtwar, Chamba, Kullu and an area east of the Satluj river. They are found from an altitude of 1,750 to 3,600 m, going higher in summer. Their preferred habitat is the dense understorey of temperate, subalpine and broad-leaved forest.
Species Status
The western tragopan is considered the rarest of all living pheasants. Its range is very restricted. In Kashmir, it is known as "DaanGeer", in Chamba, it is known as "Phulgar" and in Kullu District of Himachal Pradesh, this bird is locally called jujurana which means "king of birds". It was accorded the status of state bird of Himachal Pradesh in 2007. The population of the western tragopan is threatened by several anthropogenic factors throughout its range. The world population is estimated at fewer than 5,000 individuals, including a captive breeding population in Himachal Pradesh which numbered fewer than ten pairs in 2012. CITES has listed this species in Appendix I in order to discourage selling of its feathers. Representing the endemic bird area D02 of Western Himalaya, the western tragopan has been described as a range-restricted species.
Scientific Classification
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