Hello! We are the attractive pheasants called Khalij Pheasants. We are native to Himalayan foothills and we have few interesting points that might interest you. Have a look:
- We were first described by English naturalist John Latham in 1790.
- We have a very acute sense of hearing and also excellent eyesight that help us sense our predators.
- Do you know? We are quick runners. Though we are mostly terrestrial birds, we can fly for a certain distance when frightened or in case of an attack.
- We, like any other pheasants, roost at dusk and dawn.
- Males and females of our species look very different. Males are glossy bluish-black in color whereas females are brown to reddish-brown in color.
- We are quite common in our range and are domesticated by humans for a variety of purposes.
- We are known for our toughness to withstand extreme temperatures when provided shelter.
SOME QUICK FACTS ABOUT US:
Our Scientific Name: Lophura Leucomelanos.
Identification: Regular chicken-like bird, Males glossy blue-black body, Females are dull and have brown and reddish-brown feathers.
Our Habitat: thick vegetation, in valleys, in abandoned cultivated areas and also evergreen forests as well as deciduous forests.
Our Range:
Food Habits: Omnivorous; feed on seeds, fruits like figs, forest yams, acorns, small snakes, termites, and other plants.
Breeding Period: Depends on several races.
Number of eggs laid: 6-9 eggs.
Incubation period: 20-22 days.
Lifespan: 10-15 years
IUCN red list status: Least Concern.
CITES: Appendix III.
Indian Wildlife Protection Act: Schedule I.
SCIENTIFIC CLASSIFICATION:
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Galliformes
Family: Phasianidae
Genus: Lophura
Species: L. Leucomelanos
COMPLETE DETAILS ABOUT US FOR ANIMAL ENTHUSIASTS:
We are Khalij Pheasants, close relatives to the Silver Pheasants.
Khalij Pheasants are scientifically called as Lophura Leucomelanos.
HOW WE LOOK:
We are medium-sized birds. The males our species have glossy blue-black body and tail, blackish-brown wings, greyish-white breast, red face, and pale grey bill. The females of our species have brown and reddish-brown feathers all over its body, black tail, red face, brown crest, and greenish bill.
Both males and females have pale brown feet. The young ones are dark brown in color and become like adults after one year from the day they are born.
The length of a male of our species is 63cm-64cm with a tail length of 21cm-35cm. The length of a female of our species is 50cm-60cm with a tail length of 19cm-23cm. We weigh from 564gms – 1025gms.
WE ARE FOUND IN:
We prefer living in places where there is thick vegetation, in valleys, in abandoned cultivated areas and also evergreen forests as well as deciduous forests.
Our range in the world lies in the following countries: India, China, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Burma, Nepal, Pakistan, and Thailand.
WHAT WE EAT:
We are omnivorous beings and feed on seeds, fruits like figs, forest yams, acorns, small snakes, termites, and other plants.
OUR REPRODUCTION:
Since there are many races available in our species, breeding season differs according to race. We build our nests near water where the ground is shallow. We can be both monogamous and polygamous (having a single male-female pair or multiple females- single male respectively). The male attracts female by drumming by flapping its wings against its body. The female lays 6-9 eggs at a time and incubation period is 20-22 days.
The young chicks are fed by the mother and they leave once they are developed. Our expected lifespan is 10-15 years.
MORE ABOUT US:
We usually live in small groups of 10-20 birds and eat together.
We have very strong feet and we dig the ground for roots and tubers sometimes.
We utter whittling chuckle, mainly in the morning and in the evening.
OUR CONSERVATION:
We are abundantly available, but few of our races are not as abundant as the others. A small decline is seen in our populations, due to habitat loss and hunting. We are classified as “Least Concern” in the red list of IUCN. We are also listed in CITES Appendix III and in India, we are protected under the Indian Wildlife Protection Act, 1972 Schedule I.
Pic Credits: Ebirds.org
