Cheer Pheasant of Himalayas

Cheer Pheasant of Himalayas is a rare bird in the household of Phasianidae which is though doesn’t have magnificent colors like other pheasants, however it has a special gray plumage and gray crest. Cheer Pheasant is scientifically identified as Catreus wallichi which is an endemic species of the Western Himalayas. Their population is broadly distributed from north Pakistan, via Kashmir into Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand, India, and east to central Nepal. The Cheer Pheasant is currently evaluated as vulnerable on the IUCN Red List of threatened species.

Catreus wallichi, Cheer Pheasant ( Image : Lophura on flickr )

The Cheer Pheasant lives in the dense grasslands and rocky terrain having shrubs. Some of their population is observed in the confier, juniper and broadleaf trees. The female Cheer Pheasant lays 8-12 eggs in the breeding season. The female is slightly smaller sized in all round size.  The beautiful lengthy tail of Cheer Pheasant has 18 brown feathers with the central tail feathers which are comparatively longer.

Cheer Pheasant is a uncommon bird in the family of Phasianidae

Habitat loss which has occurred due to the overgrazing and fire is the significant threat to the population of Cheer Pheasant of Himalayas. Cheer Pheasant is also ruthlessly hunted for meals and eggs. The grasslands are quickly becoming converted into arable terraces. The permanent ban on the hunting of Cheer Pheasant and the suitable conservation of their natural habitat is quite a lot important for safeguarding the Cheer Pheasant from ultimate extinction.