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GEOGRAPHIC RANGE AND HABITAT
The Temminck's tragopan, Tragopan temminckii,
can be found in Eastern India, Southern and Central Asia, as well
as Central China. Unlike most of their pheasant relatives, the Temminck's
tragopan prefers to nest in trees and can be found living at altitudes
between 3,000 and 12,000 feet.
They prefer high hills because the climate is
cold and temperature is extremely cool during winter and an occasional
occurrence of frost is always welcome in the higher altitude. Temperature
varying 5 to 25 Degrees centigrade and average rainfall varying
from 200 to 250 Cm is most suitable for their habitat. In natural
surroundings, they also live in dense evergreen forests with moderate
undergrowth. Their are most commonly found along creeks and streams
where fresh growth of vegetative shoots and ferns are plentiful.
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DESCRIPTION
Tragopans are horned pheasants with
short bills and tail feathers that are shorter than wing length.
The female Temminck's tragopan has feathers in a dull mixture
of black, brown, and gray which they use as camouflage while
the male tragopan is much more extravagant. The males have
brownish red plumage that have ocelli underneath and large
eyespots that are surrounded by black borders (similar in
nature to their cousins the Peacock). Each individual feather
is gray and has a striking red border. The male tragopan has
blue skin on its face and a bib-like wattle on its throat.
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DIET
In the wild, Tragopans have a very diverse
diet.
They eat mostly ferns, fleshy and succulent/tender
vegetative shoots, white ants, insects, snails, worms, beetles,
pebbles, and also feed on grains, seeds and fruits found in their
natural habitats.
This type of diet is called "omnivorous."
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LIFE CYCLE/SOCIAL
BEHAVIOR
Tragopans are very shy in the wild and usually
hide in the trees among the foliage, although in captivity they
can be tamed. They live singly or in pairs.
They roost on the branches of trees not very
high from the ground during the night spending most of the daytime
on the ground scratching for food. They do not fly high abovethe
ground or for long distances. Hence they climb step by step till
they reach their roosting branches. They roost in a particular place
and make it more or less permanent. Tragopans mostly resort to flight
when dangers of disturbance are noticed.
As long as Tragopan chicks are not capable
of climbing on trees, mother remains with the chicks on the ground
at night. For about a month or so mother takes care of the chicks.
Like domestic fowl, the chicks run around with their mother immediately
after hatching out. As long as the chicks are unable to feed themselves
the mother remains with them on the ground, even at night. After
one and half months they do not depend on their mother for food
and roam about freely. |
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REPRODUCTION
When the male gets excited its two fleshy
horns above the eyes become erected and are seen distinctively.
Fanning and erecting the tail and dancing in front of the
female is observed. . The mating season starts from the month
of March and takes about a month or so. The mating language
produced by the male is “MAO, MAO, MAO” with a deep
base sound and the sound produced by the female is a sharp
quacking sound forming into musical tune.
The Temminck's tragopan usually takes
over someone else's abandoned nest to lay their eggs. When
the female has found a suitable nest, she will line it with
leaves and twigs and lay 3-4 eggs in it. She will incubate
the eggs for 28-30 days until they hatch. The new chicks develop
very quickly and are able to fly just days after hatching.
The Temmink's tragopan is on the endangered species list.
Their habitat is being invaded by humans and their forests
are being cut down. These birds are also hunted for their
colorful feathers. Efforts are being made to breed these birds
in captivity. |
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Click here to see the new
Tragopan chicks at the Pueblo Zoo
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INTERESTING FACTS
1. The Tragopan is hunted down indiscriminately
and has become an endangered species- almost on the verge of extinction.
2. When courting, the male inflates the large
brightly coloured patch on the throat and erects two long fleshy
horns above the eyes. This phenomenon is only seen when he is excited.
3. To help prevent the Tragopan from
becoming extinct, scientists build up stock of the species in captivity
and releasing it back into the wild in order to reinforce/supplement
the natural populations. |
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