Scientific Name: Lophophorus impejanus
Place:
Himalayan Monal, is a bird of Galliforme family, who doesn't require a definition of beauty amongst all pheasants all over the world. A dweller of high mountain ridges of Himalayas, found chiefly between 8,500 ft to 10,000 ft during winter months and above 10,000 ft in summers and falls. Two places in this entire earth planet where these (elusive and) illusive beauty can be seen are - Chopta - Tungnath area in Uttarakhand and Pangolakha Wildlife Sanctuary (along old silk route) in East Sikkim.
Now let us start with the sighting from Chopta. Chopta valley lies in Garhwal division of Uttarakhand, covered with Alpine steppe grassland, a perfect place to roost for this high altitude galliforme. During my trip to Chopta valley for birding in the month of June '13, we started our journey from Kaladhungi. After a full day drive from foothills, we reached at an altitude of 7,700 ft at Chopta. Spending the night inside tent, next morning we started our birding days. A birding day, not to be forgotten easily, unless the head is hammered by Thor's hammer.
Morning started with sighting of Grey-crested Tit and Red-billed Chough. It was dizzling sometimes for 10-15 minutes when dark monsoon clouds were passing by, otherwise day was sunny at this altitude (at 12,000 ft).
Exactly at 10:33 AM, from the Tungnath Temple (highest Lord Shiva Temple in the world) we spotted a male perched on top a boulder to the ridge opposite to us distanced by 500 meters. After spotting his majesty, myself (Dibyendu Ash) decided to trek uphill by ~600 meters with Shanker Singh (a mountaineer guide cum paratrooper trainer). When we asked others to join us, they said a big "NO" to us, seeing the wall of mountain in front.
This is me going uphill towards chandrashila. No trails or paved path was there, I just had to follow Shanker ji and we two managed to trek higher and higher until we reach to a fault line. Beyond which, it would be risky. On the way once for 10-15 minutes, I lost Shanker ji and became panic stricken. Panting badly-nervous-lost I cried out loud by his name, but it was eerie and silent. At some point of time I thought probably Shanker is dead, and I am in a death circle encompassing the same path.
That 10 minutes was like hell. Now you may laugh out loud. I saw a small backpack on a boulder and Shanker ji clicking Monals sitting beneath a overhang using that as his hide. Please stop laughing now readers. Though we saw three individual females and a male; we could manage females only to be photographed, male of the specie was there only for split second. The best female of the specie I ever took was from Chopta. After procuring memory card full of images, we took rest for few minutes. I went asleep soon touched by clouds on a huge boulder, since I was too tired. After waking up from nap of nearly one hour (didn't realise how time passed by quickly); I photographed a Lammergeier and an Olive-backed Pipit.
From the top I could see the stone-cobbled path leading towards temple. In the morning, which took 50 minutes for me to trek uphill, the same path I descended down within 10 minutes and joined the group again at a local tea stall by mid noon. It was time for us to have lunch.
After a warm cup of milk-tea and a bowl full of noodles, I started reviewing images of Monal. See the image, what I was reviewing at tea stall of Chopta.
Later by afternoon we photographed another flock of Monals, from which I managed to photograph male (♂) of the specie too.
Later that evening we celebrated the sighting with Ti-momo and vegetable-rice noodles!
Though male birds are easy to spot in the wild due to their metallic glossy blue plumage, it is hard to spot females of the species where vegetation is too thick. As I said, previously, Pangolakha WLS never disappoints me; myself along with other participants always see females as isolated individuals or in a group.
During our trip to Upper Pangolakha birding trip at Zuluk - Nathang valley in the month of May 2015, again we spotted female just like the previous tour in April 2015. In the month of April, we saw more of a record image, whereas this time in May, we saw female birdie in open and managed a better photograph. See the image below, you will get some idea.
Things you should know about Monals -
Place:
- Chopta valley and Tungnath, Uttarakhand, India
- Pangolakha Wildlife Sanctuary, East Sikkim, Sikkim, India
Himalayan Monal, is a bird of Galliforme family, who doesn't require a definition of beauty amongst all pheasants all over the world. A dweller of high mountain ridges of Himalayas, found chiefly between 8,500 ft to 10,000 ft during winter months and above 10,000 ft in summers and falls. Two places in this entire earth planet where these (elusive and) illusive beauty can be seen are - Chopta - Tungnath area in Uttarakhand and Pangolakha Wildlife Sanctuary (along old silk route) in East Sikkim.
Now let us start with the sighting from Chopta. Chopta valley lies in Garhwal division of Uttarakhand, covered with Alpine steppe grassland, a perfect place to roost for this high altitude galliforme. During my trip to Chopta valley for birding in the month of June '13, we started our journey from Kaladhungi. After a full day drive from foothills, we reached at an altitude of 7,700 ft at Chopta. Spending the night inside tent, next morning we started our birding days. A birding day, not to be forgotten easily, unless the head is hammered by Thor's hammer.
Morning started with sighting of Grey-crested Tit and Red-billed Chough. It was dizzling sometimes for 10-15 minutes when dark monsoon clouds were passing by, otherwise day was sunny at this altitude (at 12,000 ft).
Exactly at 10:33 AM, from the Tungnath Temple (highest Lord Shiva Temple in the world) we spotted a male perched on top a boulder to the ridge opposite to us distanced by 500 meters. After spotting his majesty, myself (Dibyendu Ash) decided to trek uphill by ~600 meters with Shanker Singh (a mountaineer guide cum paratrooper trainer). When we asked others to join us, they said a big "NO" to us, seeing the wall of mountain in front.
 |
| Myself trekking uphill towards Chandrashila, Shanker Ji was ahead of me by 50 meters. Photo courtesy: Tamanud Mitra (Link: Original post in Facebook) |
That 10 minutes was like hell. Now you may laugh out loud. I saw a small backpack on a boulder and Shanker ji clicking Monals sitting beneath a overhang using that as his hide. Please stop laughing now readers. Though we saw three individual females and a male; we could manage females only to be photographed, male of the specie was there only for split second. The best female of the specie I ever took was from Chopta. After procuring memory card full of images, we took rest for few minutes. I went asleep soon touched by clouds on a huge boulder, since I was too tired. After waking up from nap of nearly one hour (didn't realise how time passed by quickly); I photographed a Lammergeier and an Olive-backed Pipit.
From the top I could see the stone-cobbled path leading towards temple. In the morning, which took 50 minutes for me to trek uphill, the same path I descended down within 10 minutes and joined the group again at a local tea stall by mid noon. It was time for us to have lunch.
After a warm cup of milk-tea and a bowl full of noodles, I started reviewing images of Monal. See the image, what I was reviewing at tea stall of Chopta.
 |
| Himalayan Monal (♀ - female) | Lophophorus impejanus | Tungnath, Chopta, Uttarakhand © Dibyendu Ash @ 2013 |
Later by afternoon we photographed another flock of Monals, from which I managed to photograph male (♂) of the specie too.
 |
| Himalayan Monal (♂ male) | Lophophorus impejanus | Tungnath, Chopta, Uttarakhand © Dibyendu Ash @ 2013 |
Above image from Chopta-Tungnath area is not my favourite image of male bird at all. The best photograph of male bird from my conducted birding tours was from Pangolakha Wildlife Sanctuary of Sikkim during the birding tour of May 2014. Everytime, we conduct tours to Pangolakha and I mentor the tour as a knowledge expert from GoingWild; participant birders or bird photographers were never been disappointed from the sighting and photographic opportunity of Monals and other birdlife. Let me share the story of Monals from Pangolakha Wildlife Sanctuary of East Sikkim.
Two birders from Orissa joined me on a short notice for one week, where I had arranged for the entire birding trip from GoingWild. The duration of this tour was six days and their target was Himalayan Monal.
After spending two days at Lower Pangolakha we came to 9,700 ft for 2 days of stay at Zuluk. On third day morning ...... it happened, say cheese. Both of the bird photographers were extremely happy after seeing the Monals crossing the road, Monals on Parapet, Monals roosting of grassy slopes etc.
At first we took a distant record shot, when the specimen moved uphill we drove our car to the next hairpin bending and waited for 10 minutes until we got it at eye level. See the image below, which surely qualifies it to be the most handsome looking highland dweller in Himalayas.
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| Himalayan Monal (♂ male) | Lophophorus impejanus | Pangolakha Wildlife Sanctuary, East Sikkim, Sikkim © Dibyendu Ash @ 2014 |
Later that evening we celebrated the sighting with Ti-momo and vegetable-rice noodles!
Though male birds are easy to spot in the wild due to their metallic glossy blue plumage, it is hard to spot females of the species where vegetation is too thick. As I said, previously, Pangolakha WLS never disappoints me; myself along with other participants always see females as isolated individuals or in a group.
During our trip to Upper Pangolakha birding trip at Zuluk - Nathang valley in the month of May 2015, again we spotted female just like the previous tour in April 2015. In the month of April, we saw more of a record image, whereas this time in May, we saw female birdie in open and managed a better photograph. See the image below, you will get some idea.
 |
| Himalayan Monal (♀ - female) | Lophophorus impejanus | Pangolakha Wildlife Sanctuary, East Sikkim, Sikkim © Dibyendu Ash @ 2014 |
- Do you know why male pheasants are more colorful than female individuals?
- Do you have any answer?
Things you should know about Monals -
- They say it has nine colors,
- Himalayan Monal is the National Bird of Nepal.
- It is the State Bird of Uttarakhand.
- In nepali they call it "Danphe".
- Kevin, a Himalayan Monal, was an animated bird character for the Hollywood movie Up (2009)
Very well documented. Congratulations on all the lovely sightings bud!
ReplyDeleteYou are most welcome bro :-)
DeleteOh ! I enjoyed the blog very much. I had no idea that Kevin is a monal !
ReplyDeleteAs far as I know , male birds are colourful to attract females ; and females are earthy in colour to be able to camouflage in their nests.
of course haha we all know about it,they need their cryption for beeing "invisible " during breeding n taking care for the chicks... stunning photos!!
ReplyDeletethank you dibyendu , it was very helpful for me too check out your blog because i was planning to this winter around december or november in sikkim for birding. since that would be good for himalayan high altitude birds. they will come down to lower altitude i hope.
ReplyDeletemonal as usual my target. your blog helped me to understand the location. someone told me that versey also good for monal but do you have any idea that is good fpr monal or pangolakha would be better choice.
also for flodging in pangolakha if you have any contact please share.
whhitecrow@gmail.com is my mail id you can kindly mail if any information about guide for birding there and lodging in that sanctuary.
thank you.
I like your article because You present the the great information about Himalayan Monal bird and its facts. I also like this bird, eggs , chicks images.
ReplyDelete