Common Name: Satyr Tragopan Scientific Name: Tragopan satyra
NEAR THREATENED Satyr Tragopan Distribution: Central Asia Habitat: Forest Height: 60 - 72cm Weight: 1 - 2.1kg Diet: Omnivorous
The male of the species is brightly coloured whilst the female is drabber. The male has a black head and the black extends around his neck in a band. The male has fleshy horns next to the eyes. The remainder of the neck, the back and upper breast are red-orange in colour. This red merges into red with black and white spots which are largest further up the body. The tail is brown with spots and tipped with black. The female is brown with lighter brown speckles. There is a light brown ring around the eyes and the underside is lighter than the back. The tail feathers are barred with dark brown. The Satyr Tragopan is found in the central and eastern Himalayas in Nepal, India, Bhutan and China in mountainous forest habitat. In the breeding season they are found between 2200 - 4250m and in the summer they move to lower levels around 1500 m. The tragopan is threatened with habitat loss, hunting and human disturbance. The tragopan eats insects, leaves, seeds and new vegetation. They spend the year as pairs, they are monogamous and unlike most pheasants spend a high proportion of their time in the trees rather than on the ground. They also build their nest in the trees. The females lays between 2 – 6 eggs which she incubates for 25 – 28 days. Once hatched the male plays an important role in helping to rear the young. The male’s colours and the horns on his head play an important role in courtship.