Monal
| Monal | |
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| Himalayan monal | |
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| Genus: | Lophophorus
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A monal is a bird of the genus Lophophorus of the pheasant family, Phasianidae.[1] The type species of this genus is the Himalayan monal (Lophophorus impejanus).[2]
All the adult males have very atractive and shiny feathers of different metallic colors (colors appearing to be made of a metal). The females and the young males do not have feathers with many colors; they are reddish brown with some white parts.
Their diet consists of insects and plant parts such as roots, tubers, bulbs and seed.
They live in the rhododendron forests in the high altitudes of the Himalayas and of Sichuan (China).
Due to habitat destruction and hunting, they have already become quite rare and threatened in their existence.
There are three species and three subspecies within the genus Lophophorus:[2][3]
- Himalayan monal Lophophorus impejanus
- Chinese monal Lophophorus lhuysii
- Sclater's monal Lophophorus sclateri
- L. sclateri arunachelensis
- L. sclateri orientalis
- L. sclateri sclateri
Gallery[change | change source]
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Lophophorus impejanus -
Lophophorus lhuysii -
Lophophorus sclateri
References[change | change source]
- ↑ Temminck, C.J. (1813). Histoire Naturelle General des Pigeons et des Gallinaces. Vol. 2. Amsterdam & Paris. p. 355. Available on line in Biodiversity Heritage Library
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 "World Birds Taxonomic List: Genera and species with citations". Zoonomen - Zoological Nomenclature Resource. Retrieved 15 June 2013.
- ↑ Beebe, William (1918). A monograph of the pheasants. London: Witherby. pp. 112. Available on line in Biodiversity Heritage Library
Other websites[change | change source]
