Koklass pheasant (Pucrasia macrolopha)

Koklass pheasant (Pucrasia macrolopha)

Encountering this koklass pheasant (Pucrasia macrolopha) peacefully feeding off the juicy spring shoots and buttercup flowers was a wonderful experience. Not a…


Koklass pheasant (Pucrasia macrolopha)

Koklass pheasant (Pucrasia macrolopha)

A koklass pheasant (Pucrasia macrolopha) leisurly crossing the road. The many species of pheasant found in the Himalayas is incredible, and seeing them up…


Himalayan monal (Lophophorus impejanus)

Himalayan monal (Lophophorus impejanus)

Himalayan monal (Lophophorus impejanus) is the state bird of Uttarakhand, and and incredibly beautiful bird. In Chopta and by most temples this is a commonly…


Red junglefowl (Gallus gallus)

Red junglefowl (Gallus gallus)

This is a common species, but nonetheless a beautiful one, especially when you can see it in the open like here, where it was foraging in the leaf litter and…


Kalij pheasant (Lophura leucomelanos)

Kalij pheasant (Lophura leucomelanos)

On my way down from an amazing sunrise near the Dochula Pass I encountered this gorgeous male kalij pheasant (Lophura leucomelanos) strolling leisurely with…


Himalayan monal (Lophophorus impejanus)

Himalayan monal (Lophophorus impejanus)

Although the Himalayan monal (Lophophorus impejanus) not a threatened species that does not mean it is either common to see, despite its amazing iridescent…


Blood pheasant (Ithaginis cruentus)

Blood pheasant (Ithaginis cruentus)

After a beautiful sunrise as we were ascending towards the pass we encountered the first of several blood pheasants here. I find both male and females really…


Black-winged stilt (Himantopus himantopus)

Black-winged stilt (Himantopus himantopus)

It's amazing how birds can navigate vast distances and find tiny plates of food like this small lagoon in the middle of the Shuab valley on the west coast of…


White-backed Stilt (Himantopus melanurus)

White-backed Stilt (Himantopus melanurus)

It's almost dark, and hard to see, and most of the birds are quiet now. This white-backed stilt (Himantopus melanurus) was standing by itself in the middle of…