Monal

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Monal
Himalayan Monal, male, Kedarnath Sanctuary, Chamoli, Uttarakhand, India (16745965827).jpg
Himalayan monal (Lophophorus impejanus)
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Galliformes
Family: Phasianidae
Tribe: Lophophorini
Genus: Lophophorus
Temminck, 1813
Type species
Lophophorus refulgens [1] = Phasianus impejanus
Temminck, 1813
Species

A monal is a bird of genus Lophophorus of the pheasant family, Phasianidae.

Contents

Description

The males all have colorful, iridescent plumage. Their physique is rather plump, and their diet consists of plants such as roots and bulbs and insects. During mating, the males are polygamous and mate with several females. The females in turn only mate with the selected male and enter into a monogamous relationship. Due to habitat destruction and hunting, they have become rare and their population is endangered. [2]


Species

There are three species and several subspecies:

Genus Lophophorus Temminck, 1813 – three species
Common nameScientific name and subspeciesRangeSize and ecologyIUCN status and estimated population
Himalayan monal

Himalayan Monal on Snow.jpg
Male
Himalayan Monal Female (16880438716).jpg
Female

Lophophorus impejanus
(Latham, 1790)
Afghanistan and Pakistan through the Himalayas in India, Nepal, southern Tibet, and Bhutan.
Lophophorus impejanus range map.png
Size:

Habitat:

Diet:
 LC 


Sclater's monal

Lophophorus sclateri.jpg
Female

Lophophorus sclateri
Jerdon, 1870

Three subspecies
  • L. s. arunachalensis(Kumar & Singh, 2004)
  • L. s. orientalis(Davison G.W.H., 1974)
  • L. s. sclateri(Jerdon, 1870)
northeast India, southeast Tibet and northern BurmaSize:

Habitat:

Diet:
 VU 


Chinese monal

Lvwhzh.jpg
Male

Lophophorus lhuysii
Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire, A, 1866
central ChinaSize:

Habitat:

Diet:
 VU 




References

  1. "Phasianidae". aviansystematics.org. The Trust for Avian Systematics. Retrieved 2023-08-05.
  2. Hoyo, Josep (1992). Handbook of the birds of the world. Barcelona: Lynx Edicions. ISBN   84-87334-15-6. OCLC   861071869.