Partridges, Pheasants, Grouse, and Allies
Himalayan Monal
Lophophorus impejanus
- Family
- Partridges, Pheasants, Grouse, and Allies (Phasianidae)
- Order
- Galliformes
Overview
The Himalayan monal (Lophophorus impejanus), also called Impeyan monal, is a landfowl native to Himalayan forests and shrublands at elevations of 2,100–4,500 m (6,900–14,800 ft). It is part of the family Phasianidae and is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List.
It is the national bird of Nepal, where it is known as the danphe or danfe, and state bird of Uttarakhand, India, where it is known as a monal.
The scientific name commemorates Lady Mary Impey, the wife of the British chief justice of Bengal, Sir Elijah Impey.
Summary from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Diet: Roots, tubers, seeds and insects dug from the soil.
How to identify it
- Male: iridescent green, purple and copper with a spatula-tipped crest
- White rump and rufous tail show in flight
- Female: mottled brown with a white throat
Voice
Loud whistles echoing across mountain slopes at dawn.
Where to see it
- Chopta–Tungnath, India
- High passes of Bhutan
Destination guides featuring this bird
- JJanuary: Poor or no data
- FFebruary: Poor or no data
- MMarch: Poor or no data
- AApril: Best
- MMay: Best
- JJune: Poor or no data
- JJuly: Poor or no data
- AAugust: Poor or no data
- SSeptember: Poor or no data
- OOctober: Good
- NNovember: Good
- DDecember: Poor or no data
- JJanuary: Poor or no data
- FFebruary: Poor or no data
- MMarch: Best
- AApril: Best
- MMay: Best
- JJune: Poor or no data
- JJuly: Poor or no data
- AAugust: Poor or no data
- SSeptember: Poor or no data
- OOctober: Good
- NNovember: Good
- DDecember: Poor or no data
Range and habitat
Himalayas of Afghanistan to southern Tibet, southwestern China, and northeastern Myanmar.
Range description: AviList Global Avian Checklist.
Continents
Habitats
Sources and further reading
- Wikipedia: Himalayan monal
- eBird: sightings, maps and photos
- xeno-canto: sound recordings
- Birds of the World: full species account (subscription)
- BirdLife DataZone: status and threats
- IUCN Red List (threat status)
- AviList global checklist (taxonomy)
Last updated September 29, 2026.
