i really like shiny versions of birds people usually associate with being drab – like for example:

green junglefowl

asian glossy starling

ocellated turkey

mikado’s pheasant

nicobar pigeon

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a male mikado pheasant, a large member of the pheasant family. these pheasants are related to the more well known chinese ringneck pheasants, but are very recognizable by their rich purple color. they are native to taiwan.

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the male mikado pheasant is easily recognizable as a large, royal purple bird. mikado pheasants are native to taiwan, and are related to the more familiar ringneck pheasant.

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bird of the day: himalayan monal

the himalayan monal is a colorful species of pheasant native throughout southern asia. they are the national bird of nepal.

like most other pheasants, the himalayan monal is sexually dimorphic. along with the male being larger than the female, they have a very different coloration. males have a black underside with varying shades of purple, blue, green, and orange on their upper half, while females are mainly brown.

this bird feeds mainly off of berries, plant matter, and insects, which it forages for on the ground.

this bird mainly lives in pairs, though in the winter, they form communities to feed and roost together.

while the himalayan monal is currently rated ‘least concern’ by the iucn, there are some threats to their population. the biggest one is hunting. the male’s crest is believed to bring status to its wearer, and is used as a symbol of authority, which has led to poaching of the pheasant.

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todays bird is: this golden pheasant!

this unusual bird is the result of a hybridization between a chicken and a ring-neck pheasant. while surprising to some, chickens have been found to hybridize with many other galliformes, such as quail and guinea hens.

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