The bird belongs to the Phasianidae family of Galliformes order. Its scientific name is Tragopan melanocephalus (Latin), or Western Tragopan (English).
Its full-length is about 64.8 to 73.5 centimeters. The upper body of the male is black, mixed with brown gray. Each feather end has large ovoid white spots. The black head has aigrets, with red feather end and brown rectrices which have black transverse spots. The tectices of alae are similar to back feather. The naked cheek is bright red. Under the eyes there are several lines of cerulean dapples. The larynx is deep blue. The lower body is black, with brilliant white eye-shaped spots. Female birds are mainly taupe.
It mainly inhabits in mixed broadleaf-conifer forests at an elevation of 3,000 to 4,000 meters, feeding on roots, leaves and seeds.
Western Tragopan is a kind ofresident bird, usually distributed in the Shiquan River valley of the Ali region in Tibet. It has been listed in Appendix I ofInternational Trade Convention on Endangered Wild Animal and Plant Species.
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