Western Tragopan
Tragopan melanocephalus
The Western Tragopan (Tragopan melanocephalus) is a legendary partridges, pheasants, grouse, and alli found in 2 countries, weighing about 1.6 kg. The western tragopan or western horned tragopan is a medium-sized brightly plumed landfowl found along the range of Western Himalayas from north-eastern districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province in northern Pakistan in the west to Uttarakhand within India to the east.
About the Western Tragopan
The western tragopan or western horned tragopan is a medium-sized brightly plumed landfowl found along the range of Western Himalayas from north-eastern districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province in northern Pakistan in the west to Uttarakhand within India to the east. The species is highly endangered and globally threatened.
Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
How to identify it
The male is very dark, grey and black with numerous white spots, each spot bordered with black and deep crimson patches on the sides and back of the neck. The throat is bare with blue skin while the bare facial skin is red. They have a small black occipital crest. Females have pale brownish-grey upper parts finely vermiculated and spotted with black, and most of the feathers have black patches and central white streaks. Immature males resemble females, but are larger with longer legs and a variable amount of black on the head and red on neck. Males weigh 1.8–2.2 kg (4.0–4.
Where it lives
When to see it
Best months: February, April, May, June, November, December, with peak activity in May. It is a variable species across most of its range.
Easily confused with
Quick questions
- How do you identify a Western Tragopan?
- The male is very dark, grey and black with numerous white spots, each spot bordered with black and deep crimson patches on the sides and back of the neck. Full identification notes are on this page.
- How big is a Western Tragopan?
- The Western Tragopan is a huge sized bird weighing about 1.6 kg.
- Where can you see a Western Tragopan?
- The Western Tragopan occurs in 2 countries, including India and Pakistan.
- What birds look similar to a Western Tragopan?
- The Western Tragopan is most easily confused with the Cabot's Tragopan, the Temminck's Tragopan and the Blyth's Tragopan.
- Is the Western Tragopan endangered?
- The Western Tragopan is listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List.
Learn the Western Tragopan for real
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