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| The Vibrant Red Beauty of The Hill Slopes – The Blyth’s Tragopan, Male |
| The Blyth’s Tragopan also called Grey-Bellied Tragopan, is a Vulnerable bird species known for its vibrant plumage and distinctive horns. Its a large pheasant-like bird with a short tail and is the is the largest of the Tragopans. Male has a yellow face, grey upperparts with white spots, a bright red breast and back of the head, and a white band on the base of the tail. Female is brown throughout, with uniform pale speckling and an indistinct pale eye-ring. Occurs in dense evergreen montane forests, where it feeds in the undergrowth. . . . . . . . …. ………….. ……………….. .. …. …. ……….. … …. ……….. … …. ………… ………….. ………… ………… ….. ………. …………. …….. ……………. …… …. …. ……….. … …. ……….. .. ………… ….. ………. …………. …….. ……………. … The Blyth’s Tragopan is the largest of all the Tragopans and measures between 65 to 70 cm in length and weighs about 1000 to 1500 gms. Like most Pheasants, the male is brightly coloured. It is recognized by its rusty red head, yellow facial skin, and that it is spotted with small white dots on its back called ocelli. A black band extends from the base of the bill to the crown coupled with another black band extending behind the eyes. Like the rest of the Tragopans, males have two pale blue horns that become erect during mating. Its lappet, a decorated flap, hangs from the throat and is brightly coloured. This lappet can be expanded and exposed during mating season as well. Females are not as brightly coloured as the male tragopan, for they do not need the extravagant appearance to attract a male counterpart. Overall, they are dark brown with a mixture of black, buff and white mottling. Their simple and dull look is a protection mechanism from other animals, known as camouflage. It also allows the females to protect their young that are in the early stages of life. The first-year male is similar to adult female in general colour, but has red on neck and breast, black on head, and is larger and longer-legged than female. Juvenile is very similar to female. There are Two subspecies currently recognized differing mainly in various aspects of plumage colour of upperparts, underparts and chest. Male of race Molesworthi found in Eastern Bhutan, adjacent Tibet and North East India (Arunachal Pradesh) differs from nominate in smaller size, with red restricted to upper breast; also in darker upperparts (with brown rather than maroon spots) and paler grey and less scaly underparts; differences in soft-part colours perhaps also exist . . . . . . . …. ………….. ……………….. .. …. …. ……….. … …. ……….. … …. ………… ………….. ………… ………… ….. ………. …………. …….. ……………. …… …. …. ……….. … …. ……….. .. ………… ….. ………. …………. …….. ……………. … The Blyth’s Tragopan is found in a few regions, including Bhutan, northeastern India, and parts of Myanmar, Tibet, and China. This species qualifies as Vulnerable because its total population is believed to be small, declining and scattered in small subpopulations within a severely fragmented range. Widespread high levels of hunting and continuing habitat destruction will inevitably exacerbate this situation. Found mostly in densely wooded valleys and hillsides with Rhododendron, prefers oak forest with dense herb layer or bamboo understorey and thick herb understorey between 1800 mtrs in winter and 3300 mtrs in summer. Recorded at 1500 mtrs in winter, and in moist temperate montane forest at 1800 to 3000 mtrs in summer. . . . . . . . …. ………….. ……………….. .. …. …. ……….. … …. ……….. … …. ………… ………….. ………… ………… ….. ………. …………. …….. ……………. …… …. …. ……….. … …. ……….. .. ………… ….. ………. …………. …….. ……………. … The Blyth’s Tragopan eats seeds, berries, fruits, fern fronds, other leaf, shoot and petiole material and buds. Most feeding apparently occurs during early morning and late afternoon, and species is (like other Tragopans) suspected to forage arboreally as well as on ground. Sometimes seen in small groups of 4 to 5 birds. While they are primarily vegetarians, most birds have a predilection for berries and fruit. Makes daily foraging trips uphill; locals apparently set snares along well-worn trails. Captive birds usually consume insects, worms, and even small fogs. . . . . . . . …. ………….. ……………….. .. …. …. ……….. … …. ……….. … …. ………… ………….. ………… ………… ….. ………. …………. …….. ……………. …… …. …. ……….. … …. ……….. .. ………… ….. ………. …………. …….. ……………. … Male advertising calla is a deep, loud and repeated moaning ohh ohhah…ohaah.. ohaaah…ohaaaha…ohaaaha ohaaaha (given for brief period of one month in spring); also a gock gock gock or ak wak wak given by male during courtship and which may stimulate other males to vocalize. Male also give a loud kach-ach-ach-kach-ach. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . …………………….. ………………………………………………………………… ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. ………………………………. .. ……… …… … …. ……….. Description Credit Birds of the World (The Cornell Lab), Oiseaux, Birda, Animalia, Birds of India | Bird World, Bird Count India & Wiki. |
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