The Pheasant Birds of Bhutan

The Postal Administration of Bhutan has issued  one miniature sheet consist of four stamps WWF series feature  the pheasant bird species, Lophura leucomelanos, Tragopan blythii , Tragopan satyra  and Lophophorus impejanus  on  December 17, 2003.

Lophura leucomelanos or the Kalij Pheasant, , is a pheasant found in forests and thickets, especially in the Himalayan foothills, from northern India to western Thailand. 

Males are rather variable depending on the subspecies involved, but all have an at least partially glossy bluish-black plumage, while females are overall brownish. Both sexes have a bare red face and greyish legs (the latter separating it from the red-legged Silver Pheasant).

Tragopan blythii or Blyth’s Tragopan  or the Grey-bellied Tragopan is  a vulnerable species of pheasants and located in many different areas, including Bhutan through north-east India, north Myanmar to south-east Tibet, and also China.

The total population is estimated to be about 2,500 to 9,999 birds.This estimate is a very small number compared to some of its relative birds and is believed to be decreasing at a rapid rate. 

Tragopan blythii normally flocks to wooded areas as it prefers the undergrowth of evergreen oak and rhododendron forests, and other dark, quiet places. This bird has a higher elevation than most birds. Blyth’s Tragopan pheasant is the largest of the genus Tragopan.

Like most pheasants, the male is brightly colored. Females are not as brightly colored as the male tragopan, for they do not need the extravagant appearance to attract a male counterpart.

Blyth’s Tragopan are generalists. In the wild, they consume seeds, berries, fruits, and buds. Captive birds usually consume insects, worms, and even small frogs. While they are primarily vegetarians, most birds have a predilection for berries and fruit.

Tragopan satyra  or  the  Satyr Tragopan   , also known as the Crimson Horned Pheasant, is a pheasant found in the Himalayan reaches of India, Tibet, Nepal and Bhutan.

Tragopan satyra reside in moist oak and rhododendron forests with dense undergrowth and bamboo clumps. They range from 8,000 to 14,000 feet in summer and 6,000 feet in winter.

The male Tragopan satyra is about 70cm long. Females are brown. Males are usually red with blue, black, and white spots and freckles.

Although the least threatened of the  Satyr Tragopans still face many threats. The species is thought to have a moderately small population that is subject to hunting and habitat loss throughout most of its range.

 

Lophophorus impejanus or  the Himalayan Monal, also known  Impeyan Pheasant is a bird of genus Lophophorus of the pheasant family, Phasianidae. 

It is a relatively large-sized bird, about 70 cm in length, the weight of males and females range between 1,980-2,380 g and 1,800-2,150 g respectively. 

The main threat to the species arise from 'crest hunting' as the plumage of the male pheasant is used as an ornament and relates to status and authority.

Adult males possess a long crest, are feathered with multi-coloured plumage throughout their body, while the females, like in other pheasants, are dull in colour with the upper parts covered with dark brownish-black feathers.

Notable features in males are a long crest that is metallic green, changeable reddish copper on the back and sides of the neck, and a prominent white back and rump while in flight.