Satyr Tragopan (Tragopan satyra) LinnaeusSatyr Tragopan (Tragopan satyra),
also called Crimson Horned Pheasant, is
a local resident in Himalayas. Size: Male 68-72 cm; female 58 cm.
Weight: Male 1.60-2.10 kg; Female 1.0-1.20 kg.
Identification: Male: Head almost completely feathered and
black, a crimson streak on each side of the recumbent crest. The sides of the
neck, upper back, shoulders, and upper breast, deep crimson. The rest of
under parts crimson, speckled with black-edged white spots (ocelli), becoming
larger and greyish on the abdomen and flanks. Under tail coverts red, with
brown-lined white ocelli, and two larger olive ones on the sides; longer
tail-coverts brown with subterminal mottled dark brown and buff. Tip of tail
black and the tail is proportionally longer than other Tragopans. Iris brown;
bill black; bare skin of throat deep blue; lappet blue in the middle, pale
green on the margins, with four or five triangular scarlet patches on each
side; fleshy horns blue; the lappet extends to a length of 100 mm and the
horns to 75 mm during display. Legs brownish pink. Immature Male:
Like the female, but larger and higher on the legs, with a black-head, much
red on the neck and upper back, the breast more or less splashed with red,
with few white ocelli. Female: Upper parts varying from rufous to dull
brown, with pale buff central markings and blackish vermiculations and
patches; tail rufous brown with irregular black and buff bars; chin and
throat pale brown or buff lined with black. Under parts like the back but
much lighter, particularly the abdomen where the pale center of the feathers
expands into a large whitish spot. Iris brown; orbital skin bluish; bill horn
brown. Legs light grey.
Distribution: The Satyr Tragopan is a local resident in central and
eastern Himalayas, the range extending from Garhwal and moving east through
Nepal, Sikkim,
Bhutan and Assam. Prefers forests with dense undergrowth on
steep hillsides at altitudes varying from 2000 m to 4200 m.
Food: Seeds, fresh leaves, shoots of bamboo, berries and insects.
Breeding: Not much is known of its breeding habits in the wild.
The breeding season is from late April to June. Nests on trees. 3-5 eggs,
reddish buff with red speckles. Egg size 65 mm x 42 mm.
Call: A loud pitched 'wak', repeated several times. Also a loud
'kya kya kya'.
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