Fun Himalayan Snowcock Facts For Kids

The Himalayan snowcock bird species is part of the Phasianidae family that also includes partridges, pheasants, and other species. They are typically heavy birds, and hence feed and nest on the ground. These birds are native to the Himalayan mountain regions where they are found in the countries of Nepal, Afghanistan, India and even China.

However, one would not be completely mistaken to search for Himalayan snowcocks as far as North America. From early 1965 to 1979, around two thousand of these brown birds were introduced into the wild of Nevada. This work was initiated in 1961 when the Nevada Fish and Game Commission was looking for a game bird that could be introduced in the region. The similarities between the mountains of Himalayan range and the Nevada region, led to the Himalayan snowcock being chosen as the said species, eventually causing a population of the Himalayan snowcock Nevada to be established at the Ruby Mountains. Over the years, the Himalayan snowcock ruby mountains population has developed between 200 to 500.

Keep reading for more interesting Himalayan snowcock facts! If you liked this article about the Himalayan snowcock, also check out the other articles with some great facts about the lesser prairie chicken and seaside sparrow.

What type of animal is a Himalayan snowcock?

The Himalayan snowcock is a type of bird.

What class of animal does a Himalayan snowcock belong to?

The Himalayan snowcock, Family Phasianidae is a partridge-like bird that belongs to Aves class of animal.

How many Himalayan snowcocks are there in the world?

Himalayan snowcock (Tetraogallus himalayensis) species is found widely in number across the Himalayan Range. Consequently, scientists and researchers have not yet been able to calculate their exact population. However their numbers in the Nevada region vary largely from 200 to 500, as they are not native or national to the region.

Where does a Himalayan snowcock live?

The Himalayan snowcock (Tetraogallus himalayensis) is a mountain bird. It is found across the Himalayan ranges of Asia. These birds can also be found in the nearby Pamir range. Himalayan snowcocks are distributed over a wide region. They can be found on high-altitude rocky slopes, ridge and cliffs, as well as on alpine meadows, which provide pasture, where the bird looks for food.

What is a Himalayan snowcock's habitat?

The Himalayan snowcock range of habitat usually occurs at high elevations. They are commonly found on rocky hillsides. They forage both on steep slopes with rocks, as well as on alpine ridge and pastures. They are known to prefer alpine meadows over the tree line, allowing them food as well as the ability to breed and raise their offspring. The meadows are located at elevations between 9000-11,000 ft (2743.2-3352.8 m). Some of the species have also been found in elevations as high as 16,000 ft (4876.8 m). The high, rocky, and rugged habitat of the Himalayan snowcock also protects it from being preyed on easily. The birds use the ledges of grassy cliffs, making them very difficult to hunt.

Who do Himalayan snowcocks live with?

Himalayan snowcock (Tetraogallus himalayensis) is usually found in small groups. The flocks ensure that the birds are well protected against predators and hunters. These groups stick together while foraging.

How long does a Himalayan snowcock live?

The exact lifespan of the Himalayan snowcock, genus Tetraogallus has not yet been observed by scientists.

How do they reproduce?

The breeding season of the Himalayan snowcock (Tetraogallus himalayensis) species is typically in the summer, lasting from April to June. The birds of this mountain species usually make their nest in the ground, protected by grass and rocks. They typically lay between four to six eggs at a go. The eggs are usually buff or gray and are spotted in a rusty, reddish-brown color. The chicks, though tended to by both the male and the female, are capable of immediately leaving their nest and finding their own food. They are precocial in nature.

What is their conservation status?

The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) lists them as Least Concern. Their rugged mountain habitat means they have few natural predators apart from eagles and other raptors, ensuring a wide number in existence in the range of mountain slopes of Himalayas.

What do Himalayan snowcocks look like?

The Himalayan snowcocks are quite easy to identify as they are relatively bigger than other conventional game birds like partridges. This game bird has broad, dark, chestnut stripes down the sides of its neck. The chestnut stripes helps distinguish the bird from the neighboring Tibetan snowcock species, also found in the north mountain slopes of Asia. The dark gray underparts are also unique to the bird, making it easy to identify from other species in the region. The dark gray underparts form a stark contrast with its grayish-white breast, making it quite a recognizable bird. This species has a pale gray neck, and a dark gray back. Their tail feathers are rufous-brown in color. While in flight, it also shows extensive white primary feathers. The male and female birds also look largely similar in terms of the coloring of their neck, with the males being slightly larger.

How cute are they?

These birds, shy and protective, are unlikely to be taken as cute. They are also quite distant from humans so it is difficult to get a closer look at them.

How do they communicate?

The calls of this bird carries across a wide distance. It has two kinds of calls. The first call is a long whistle, or a rising whistle, with the notes of 'cour-lee-whi-whi' being repeated at regular intervals. The second, is a rapid chatter, which goes along the lines of 'chok-chok-chok'.

How big is a Himalayan snowcock?

The Himalayan snowcock length usually falls between the range of 21-28 in (53.3-71.1 cm).

This makes them noticeably bigger than the average partridge, who usually hover around between 11-13 in (28-33 cm).

How fast can a Himalayan snowcock fly?

A Himalayan snowcock flying can be fast and powerful, especially when flying down steep mountain slopes escaping from hunters. However, their heavy bodies mean that they cannot sustain their fast flight for a very long time and start moving slowly.

Since they usually procure their food from the ground, they are excellent runners and can walk fast as well. Hence, when approached or confronted by predators, it often prefers to run away than take flight, except when they are approached from uphill, in which case they take flight downhill along the slopes.

How much does a Himalayan snowcock weigh?

A Himalayan snowcock weight usually falls between the range of 4.4-6.6 lb (2-3 kg).

What are their male and female names of the species?

The male and the female bird of this species does not have separate names. Therefore, the male birds are usually denoted as cocks while the female birds are referred to as hens.

What would you call a baby Himalayan snowcock?

A baby of this species would be called a Himalayan snowcock chick.

What do they eat?

The Himalayan snowcock diet mostly consists of grass, roots, and seeds.

Are they poisonous?

Himalayan snowcock, Order Galliformes is not known to be poisonous.

Would they make a good pet?

The primary habitat of these birds is the Himalayas where they are used to extreme weather. Thus, they are unlikely to make very good pets like the Alexandrine parakeet.

Did you know...

They typically belong to the category of game bird, due to the early established practice of Himalayan snowcock hunting in society.

What's unique about the Himalayan snowcock?

A unique feature of this bird found among the wildlife of Himalayas is that small flocks of this species can often be seen feeding together. In addition to that, they are always on the lookout for each other in order to protect themselves from danger. Moreover, they stay together through fall, when the hunting season begins, right up to winter. While foraging, these small groups often move up the mountain slopes, looking for roots and seeds to forage on.

Are Himalayan snowcocks endangered?

The Himalayan snowcocks are not endangered unlike the giant ibis bird found in Asia. The IUCN Red List has categorized the Himalayan snowcocks as Least Concern due to its stable population in the mountain regions without any immediate risks or threats of extinction.

Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly animal facts for everyone to discover! For more relatable content, check out these radjah shelduck facts and yellow warbler facts for kids.

You can even occupy yourself at home by coloring in one of our free printable mallard duck coloring pages.

Second image by Aditya Pal.