Snow Partridge

Scientific Name: Lerwa lerwa

Place: Tungnath, Chopta, Uttarakhand

Snow Partridges can be seen at higher ridges of Himalayas; through out indo-tibetan glacial areas. Mostly they forage in groups consisting of as much as 25 pax. While undisturbed they forage very silently alongside the grassy slopes of mountain. However, considering human beings as threat; they keep a minimum distance of 30 feet.

During our birding tour in Chopta and Tungnath in the month of November last week we experienced a flock of 14 foraging on grassy slopes. As we were in search of Monal, all on a sudden we saw a flock of partridge like bird flew and perched on a slope. We first thought it as a flock of Chukar. Following that flock, we moved further up, where the hill side doesn't face any sun. Silently they were foraging and making short clucking (very low pitched sounds). 

Snow Partridge (Lerwa lerwa) | 01.12.2015 | Tungnath, Chopta Valley, Uttarakhand, India
© Dibyendu Ash @ 2015

The entire flock of Snow partridge was so well camouflaged that even for a professional it is hard to find them. They were not hiding themselves rather they were into wide open in broad day light. The coloration of grassy slope and that of the feather texture of partridge mixes well. 

It was really a moment to cherish when all the participants got the photograph of this rare/hard-to-photograph beauty. In that freezing cold temperature; I experienced chilblain. Sudden snowfall on last week of December favored our luck to photograph some of the extreme high altitude avian species. Following the snowline, Snow Partridge came downhill and participants of Chopta-Tungnath birding tour from GoingWild (Nov-Dec 2015) photographed it pretty well. Other than Snow Partridge, we got Alpine Accentor, Altai Accentor, at least 20 individuals of Himalayan Monal.

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Hill Partridge

Scientific Name: Arborophila torqueola
Place: Near Ramakrishna Mission Ashram, Pangot, Uttarakhand, India

'One of the most elusive bird to see in wild!' - This is how the bird could be explained in one sentence. Mainly an altitudinal migrant like other Galliformes of Himalayas, which prefer to roost at lower altitudes ~ 5,000 to 7,000 ft in western Himalayas during winter months and ~8,000 to 10,000 ft during summer and falls.

Unlike other birds, it is not expected to be seen, but one can hear the call of Hill Partridge from miles away. At the same time I must say - 'when a birder is out for birding, he should not keep this specie in his expected bird list, unless it is God's gift.' I still remember my maiden day for sighting of the specie, in broad daylight, along with six more birding tour participants, for 2 seconds. Somehow I managed to get a record image of the birdie amongst all of them, though the windscreen of the vehicle. That is why the outcome is poor!

As usual birdlife was very rich during our October 2014 trip to Ghatgarh, Sattal and Pangot area. It was 3rd birding day, and all of us set out for Pangot in search of Cheer Pheasant. We were doing on the way birding, by taking pit stops at places, wherever flocks of birds were sighted. This is how, we were going uphill all the way from Ghatgarh(1,020 mtr) to Pangot(2,200 mtr). All on the sudden, as we were passing through a temperate broadleaf section of montane forest by car; a bird of Galliforme type appeared 50 odd feet away from us on road. It stood on road for 2 seconds and jumped into the ditch following a stream of water and vanished beneath the thickly foliaged bush. - This was the making of the this image! I hope someday some other birding group would see it too and achieve something which would definitely be a memory to cherish for them.

Hill Partridge (Arborophila torqueola) | Pangot, Nainital, Uttarakhand, India
© Dibyendu Ash @ 2014

Later that day, after reaching to Cheer Point, we searched for Cheer Pheasant but couldn't spot any of them. Like I said previously, what is expected to be seen may not be seen during birding; but the thing that is least expected can be spotted by God's grace. All the birders was overwhelmed to see this rare beauty in wild (for 2 guys it was a maiden birding trip, what a start for them!).

Since the day I was into birding or conducting birding trips, two birds that is needless to be mentioned, whose calls can be heard from kilometers away, are - Hill Partridge and Satyr Tragopan. In Sikkim Himalayas also I hear both of them, when I am out for Pangolakha Wildlife Sanctuary or Fambong Lho Wildlife Sanctuary; but one need to have persistent luck for that.

Would post a blog write up about sighting of Satyr Tragopan too in near future. Stay tuned guys!!

Chukar Partridge

Scientific Name: Alectoris chukar pallescens

Place: Darbuk, Ladakh Range, Jammu and Kashmir, India

Chukar Partridges are dwellers of higher ridges of north-west Himalayas and Karakoram-Hindkush mountain ranges of India and Pakistan. They generally come down to comparatively lower altitudes during the winter months and move up during onset of spring-summer.


During the maiden trip of GoingWild at Ladakh in 2013, we started our journey from Manali. In this birding cum bird photography trip two participants from Karnataka and one from West Bengal joined us. The outcome of this birding and bird photography trip was 68 birds amongst which most of them are endemic to this region (only considering oriental zoogeographic region). For say, Black-necked Crane, Tibetan Sandgrouse, Tibetan Snowfinch etc. has been spotted. 

On 6th birding day, after having stomach full of breakfast, we checked out from Leh and started moving towards Tso Pangong Lake. On the way, as planned we got down from car and spent 4 fruitful birding hours. At around 7AM, a flock of Chukar partridge was seen, roosting high above 100' ft from the road where we stood. One by one every participant crawled up and photographed the national of Pakistan.

Chukar Partridge (Alectoris chukar pallescens) | 17.08.2013 | Ladakh, Jammu and Kashmir, India
© Dibyendu Ash @ 2013

In India, the national bird is Peacock (or Indian Peafowl) and in Pakistan, Chukar is the national bird. We were overwhelmed to photograph the beauties playing hide and seek with us in juniper bushes. Since, Galliformes are very skittish in nature, so as Chukar; thus when we photographed it, we really had some beautiful moments to cherish.

On 18th of August '15 also, we saw a flock consisting of parents with four chicks. It happen all on a sudden when we were taking images of Tibetan Snowfinch around 12:30PM of that afternoon. The flock crossed the road and our driver Nawang yelled at us - 'Chukar, sir Chukar'. By that time the flock had moved down from the road followed by a deep trench. Taking photograph of that was also challenging since all of them were against sunlight. Thus in all images we had to fight against harsh lighting condition. Still I managed to have a frame comprising of an adult Chukar with its chick.

Chukar with its chick (Just a record image) | 18.08.2013 | Ladakh, Jammu and Kashmir, India

© Dibyendu Ash @ 2013

Seeing a Chukar Partridge in wild is not that tough, but moments become unforgettable when one experiences something additional. Thus the sighting of Chukar Partridge with its chicks is no doubt a memory to cherish!

Ladakh region and its adjacent area - Nubra, Diskit, Hemis NP are very rich in biodiversity. To do birding, bird photography or for other lesser known mammals one can get in touch with GoingWild!

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