Tim writes: this rare pheasant is endemic to China, centred on the Sichuan Province. It is the largest and most highly-glossed of the three species of Monal Pheasant. I have tried twice previously to see this elusive species without a sight or sound of one. But this year I saw six males and three females calling and displaying for about 20 minutes just before sunrise. You can see the amazing turquoise gloss over the back and tail, plus the golden collar and green head of the male, but you hardly notice the camouflaged female to the right. I was warned that I might be disappointed as the males just look black at a distance in dull light but I need not have worried.
Its scientific name is Lophophorus lhuysii. Lophophorus means crest-bearing, and lhuysii commemorates the French diplomat and statesman Edouard Drouyn de L’Huys (1805-1881).
I took this photo, plus many other photos of the Chinese Monals near Balang Mountain near Wolong in Sichuan, China.
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Beautiful. I always wanted to see one in the wild myself, it is my #1 dream bird spot. Thank you for this.