A male western tragopan in the Great Himalayan National Park, Kullu district, Himachal Pradesh. Photo: Jainy Maria Kuriacose
1/15
The western tragopan is the State bird of Himachal Pradesh. It looks like a jungle fowl and is secretive and shy. Local residents call it jujurana, which means king of birds.
Photo: Jainy Maria Kuriacose
2/15
A Temminck’s tragopan (named after the Dutch naturalist and ornithologist Coenraad Temminck) in the Mishmi Hills of Arunachal Pradesh.
Photo: Jainy Maria Kuriacose
3/15
The Himalayan monal. It is one of the 16 species of pheasants endemic to the Indian Himalayan region.
Photo: Jainy Maria Kuriacose
4/15
A female Himalayan monal. Female pheasants are less colourful than the males.
Photo: Jainy Maria Kuriacose
5/15
A satyr tragopan, which was photographed in Bhutan. The local people are so involved in the protection of this bird that it roams freely like domestic chicken.
Photo: Jainy Maria Kuriacose
6/15
A male Himalayan monal in all his resplendence.
Photo: Jainy Maria Kuriacose
7/15
A Himalayan monal in flight.
Photo: Jainy Maria Kuriacose
8/15
A koklass pheasant, another of the 16 species of pheasants endemic to the Indian Himalayan region.
Photo: Jainy Maria Kuriacose
9/15
The white-throated tit, another important denizen of the Great Himalayan National Park, though not one of the pheasant species.
Photo: Jainy Maria Kuriacose
10/15
The kalij pheasant. Pheasants can be found in various vegetation types and altitudinal gradients.
Photo: Jainy Maria Kuriacose
11/15
Another of the attractions of the Great Himalayan National Park apart from its wildlife are cold streams, of which it has more than 2,700, mostly gushing and noisy.
Photo: Gautham Pandey
12/15
Blyth’s tragopan. The name commemorates the English naturalist and ornithologist Edward Blyth, who lived in India and was the curator of zoology at the Asiatic Society of India in Calcutta. Photo: Jainy Maria Kuriacose
Please Email the Editor