Sclater's Monal
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[Photo] Sclater's Monal (Lophophorus sclateri). Female Sclater Monal shot in East Arunachal Himalayas Author: Prasad BR

Sclater's Monal, Lophophorus sclateri also known as the Crestless Monal, is a large, approximately 68cm long, monal of east Himalayas region. The male is a colorful bird. It has a highly iridescent purplish-green upperparts plumage, short and curly metallic green crown feathers, copper neck, purplish-black throat, white back, blue orbital skin, yellowish-orange bill and brown iris. The tail is white, with a broad chestnut band. The crestless female is mostly a dark brown bird with white throat, pale yellow bill and barred below.

Sclater's Monal is distributed to mountain forests of southeast China, northern Myanmar and northeast India, at altitudes of 2,500 to 4,200 metres. The males of recently discovered population of Arunachal Pradesh of India has an all white tail. The diet consists mainly of seeds and flowers. The female usually lays between three to five eggs.

The name commemorates the British zoologist Philip Lutley Sclater.

Due to ongoing habitat loss, small population size, limited range and overhunting in some areas for food and its feathers, Sclater's Monal is evaluated as Vulnerable on IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. It is listed on Appendix I of CITES.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sclater%27s_Monal

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