Birda Logo
Features
Birda+
About
Species Guide
Challenges
Shop
loading...

Sclater's Monal

Lophophorus sclateri

The Sclater's monal, known scientifically as Lophophorus sclateri and colloquially as the crestless monal, is a resplendent Himalayan pheasant. This large bird measures approximately 68 centimeters in length, with the male displaying a vivid array of colors. The male's plumage is a tapestry of iridescent purplish-green on the upperparts, complemented by short, curly metallic green crown feathers. A coppery neck transitions to a purplish-black throat, while the back is a stark white. The skin around the eyes is a striking blue, and the bill a yellowish-orange, with brown eyes peering out. The tail of the nominate subspecies features a white base with a broad chestnut band, whereas the L. s. arunachalensis subspecies boasts an entirely white tail. The female, in contrast, is predominantly dark brown with a white throat and tail-tip, her orbital skin a duller blue, and her bill a pale yellow.

Identification Tips

When identifying the Sclater's monal, look for the male's distinctive iridescent green crown and copper neck. The female is more subdued in color but can be recognized by her white throat and tail-tip. The species' size and the male's colorful plumage make it distinguishable from other birds in its habitat.

Habitat

This monal prefers the mountain forests of the east Himalayan region, thriving at elevations between 2,500 to 4,200 meters.

Distribution

The Sclater's monal graces the high-altitude landscapes of north-eastern India, south-eastern Tibet, and northern Burma.

Behaviour

The Sclater's monal's diet is believed to be varied, consisting of tubers, roots, bulbs, arthropods, rodents, seeds, and flowers. The female typically lays a clutch of three to five eggs. While it is uncertain if the male takes part in nest defense, it is a possibility worth considering.

Conservation Status

The Sclater's monal is currently classified as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. This status is due to factors such as habitat loss, a small population size, a limited range, and overhunting in certain areas for both food and feathers. The species is also listed on Appendix I of CITES, reflecting the international concern for its conservation.

App logo
Birda is a birdwatching app and community aimed at curious people who want to deepen their connection with nature.

More Pheasants & Allies

A photo of a Barbary Partridge (Alectoris barbara)

Barbary Partridge

Alectoris barbara
Birda Logo

Your birdwatching journey like never before

Connect with nature in minutes
Take a walk, look out of the window and log the birds that you see. Feel good about those little connections to nature.
Discover the joy of birding
Find new birding spots, see more birds, share and celebrate with a like-minded community of nature lovers.
Play your part in saving nature
Logging your birding sightings and sessions turns into positive action for our planet. Every sighting counts.

Birda Blog

What Our Birders Say
Foxgirl100
Great app for beginner twitchers
I’ve had a passion of photographing birds for a long time now but have only just gotten into proper birdwatching, and this app is brilliant for those just getting started. There is a great sense of community among users and the app is very easy to use and professional. Awesome app altogether
Dunners12345
Great App
Great app to use for logging and communicating with others who are interested in birds
Carrie
Makes you want to spot birds more
I think this app is fun. It makes you want to spot birds more so I guess in a way it encourages you to get out and about instead of sitting in front of the TV.
Stewart W
Fantastic to be involved
Fantastic to be involved, great for mental health and gets you responding with the Challenges that are to takd part in.
Jane N
A great app
Enjoying it immensely and finding it useful too. Recording the different birds and counting them is showing me how the present climate is affecting them all. I've trebled the numbers by planting native hedging. A great app.
Hip An
Fantastic
Really enjoying Birda where I live i have a lot of Red kites really hard to photograph but I can video are you planning some place on the app where us Birda can post vids🦉🦅
778
Great bird recording
For a while I’ve been trying to find an app to easily record bird lists and day out and struggled to find one that I like. Birda is great for this, straightforward and a great community!
BCHphotography_
Such a great app!
I didn’t think I could enjoy birding more but this app makes it so much better. Some great features and a really great way to share your sightings with your friends or fellow birders nearby or around the world! ❤️
Emma L
App got me interested in birding!
Super friendly community <3 This app got me interested in birding! It teaches me cool stuff and its super friendly, and fun :) The species guide is really developing my knowledge, and i love seeing cool new birds from round the world!
Anonymous
The best bird logging app
Birda is honestly the best bird logging app I have seen. I love all the features it has from being able to do a session and log all the birds you see in one sitting, to being able to connect with other birders from all over the globe!
As featured in
Birda Logo
AboutPressAmbassadorsAffiliatesInfluencersCareersPrivacyTerms & Conditions
An app for birdwatchers
Connect with us
Copyright © 2024 Chirp Birding. All rights reserved.