Fun Western Tragopan Bird Facts For Kids

The western horned tragopan, also known by its binomial name Tragopan melanocephalus, is a medium-sized bird or 'pheasants' because the bird belongs to several genera. This bird is not endangered yet globally and is only found in the south range of Asia, particularly in the endemic range of Himalaya and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

The local people of the areas give the western horned tragopan various titles. Some of them are DaanGeer, Phulgar, and Jujurana. The population of Himachal Pradesh provides this bird with the name 'Jujurana' because it means the king of birds and pheasants.

Here on our page, we have lots of amazing facts about western tragopan that everyone will enjoy. Let's look at these interesting facts; if you like these, do read our red-bellied woodpecker and chipping sparrow facts.
 

What type of animal is a western tragopan?

The western tragopan (Tragopan melanocephalus) is a species of birds and pheasants.

What class of animal does a western tragopan belong to?

The western tragopan is an Aves species whose feathers have black patches and central white streaks.

How many western tragopans are there in the world?

As you know, western tragopans are currently vulnerable in the world. The total population of this pheasant is only 3,300 individuals that are found alive.

Where does a western tragopan live?

The western tragopan is particularly found in the five areas of South Asia in the North India and Pakistan regions. The regions are Chamba, Kaghan valley, Pakistan Kishtwar, Kohistan district, and the particular endemic range of Himalaya and Uttarakhand.

What is a western tragopan habitat?

The natural habitat where the western tragopan pheasants are found is in the forest of high altitudes. It can be the hills or dense mountains. This pheasant is fond of the temperate and dense forest and the broad-leaved forest.

Who does western tragopan live with?

The western tragopan pheasant prefers to live solitarily. They only live in pairs when the breeding period starts.

How long does a western tragopan live?

The western tragopan (Tragopan melanocephalus) lifespan is around three years. Although the central zoo authorities state that they live for an average of four months of age, they were later found living for three years under optimal conditions.

How do they reproduce?

Like every other pheasant, the male western tragopan chases the female for breeding, shows her some variable amount of black tail feathers, and tries to impress her. After some courting, they perform the breeding process. After six weeks of breeding, the females lay eggs, and both the male and female bird species take care of the offspring.

What is their conservation status?

The conservation status by the IUCN Red List of the western tragopan is on the list of Vulnerable species. The population of this pheasant is very scarce, and all measures have to be taken to ensure their conservation. The threats to this species are habitat destruction and hunting for their feathers and sometimes even meat.

What does western tragopan look like?

The size of the western tragopan pheasant varies, as females are smaller than males. Males have a gray and black body with white spots with patches on the neck and side of the neck. The throat has numerous colors on it, and every color is bright on the throat. Some throat colors of both male and female Jujurana birds are red, blue, yellow, and orange. The female bird has pale brownish-gray upperparts spotted with black, and the feathers have black patches and central white streaks.

Males of the species usually have longer legs. Young males resemble females but are larger and have longer legs with a variable amount of black and white spots on the head and red spots on the neck.

*Please note that this is an image of a pheasant and not a western tragopan. If you have an image of a western tragopan, please let us know at [email protected]

How cute are they?

Western tragopans are cute bird species as they have different colors on their neck, which attract hunters searching for good and attractive feathers. The photos of these birds will show you exactly how pretty this bird looks.

How do they communicate?

The Jujurana birds communicate with each other by singing songs or producing calls. These birds also communicate with their physical displays, especially during courting. Male birds make 'wou-weee' sounds to attract females during the breeding season.

How big is a western tragopan?

The size of the western tragopan varies for both males and females. Males are around 27.9 in (71 cm) long, and females are around 24 in (61 cm) long. These birds are ten times bigger than mice.

How fast can a western tragopan fly?

The speed that a western tragopan can fly up to is not estimated yet. However, they are known to have a decent speed despite their weight.

How much does a western tragopan weigh?

The weight of both male and female western tragopans is different. The male weighs up to 4–4.9 lb (1.8–2.2 kg) and the female up to 2.8–3.1 lb (1.2–1.4 kg) in total.

What are the male and female names of the species?

There are no specific names for the male and female species of the western tragopans. However, these creatures are differentiated by their different color and spots.

What would you call a baby western tragopan?

There is no particular name for the baby western tragopan. They are just called young ones.

What do they eat?

Western tragopans are omnivorous. They feed on both plants and insects. Their usual diet consists of shrubs, leaves, herbs, and seeds, but they feed on small invertebrates such as spiders and centipedes and insects such as earwigs and ants when they cannot find these items.

Are they dangerous?

No, western tragopans are not dangerous at all. These creatures stay away from humans and live in high-altitude regions and dense forests. Especially now, when their population is so scarce, they are of no trouble or danger at all.

Would they make a good pet?

Yes, the western tragopans can be kept as a pet because they would be of low-maintenance. However, we wouldn't recommend keeping this species as pets because they are vulnerable and protected by the authorities.

Did you know...

The western tragopan is a sensitive creature and does not like environmental pollution. That is why they prefer to reside at higher altitudes and away from all these anthropogenic disturbances.

Which one is recognized as the state bird of Himachal Pradesh?

Western tragopans are recognized as the state bird of Himachal Pradesh. They are also given the title of the king of birds in Himachal Pradesh (HP).

Why is western tragopan endangered?

Western tragopans are considered to be vulnerable pieces who're at the edge to be considered endangered because hunters hunt them for obtaining their feathers. These feathers are then sold on the black market for great money. Another reason for their population decline is habitat destruction due to the destruction of forests and land development.

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 scarlet macaw facts or hornbill facts pages.

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