So, what is the state bird of Jammu and Kashmir? On October 21, 2021, the Kalij Pheasant was officially named the UT bird of Jammu and Kashmir. Before Jammu and Kashmir were split into two separate UTs, the national bird of Jammu and Kashmir was Black-necked Crane. Moreover, the Kalij pheasant is in the family Phasianidae, which is in the order Galliformes of the bird family, Aves. Besides, this type of pheasant lives in evergreen and deciduous woodlands, which shows that it lives in many places.
In the foothills of the Himalayas, you can find it in western Thailand, Pakistan, India, Nepal, Bhutan, Myanmar, and Bhutan. So, like most birds in the family Phasianidae, the male and female Kalij pheasant look very different from each other. Moreover, the males have shiny, metallic, bluish-black body feathers, while the females are usually darker brown. Besides, the heads of both sexes are red and hairless, and the legs are greyish.
Morphology of State Bird of Jammu and Kashmir: Kalij Pheasant
When seen from above, you see a cock crest in the opposite direction, and the tail has vertical compressions. Moreover, males are usually 70 centimeters long and weigh between 800 and 1150 kilos. While as females are 55 centimeters long and weigh between 400 and 900 grams. Moreover, there are nine subspecies of the Kalij pheasant. In our Kashmir, you can see the Kalij with the white crest. On top of that, this species’ crest is white, while the crests of all other species are bluish-black. Only ground-dwelling birds that don’t migrate make up the Kalij family. Moreover, most of what a Kalij eats are roots, seeds, small reptiles, and insects.
The Jammu and Kashmir state bird starts to have babies in the months of May and June. Moreover, the International Union for the Conservation of Nature says that the Kalij pheasant is the “least concern” (IUCN). However, there is no census for current number of birds, so it’s hard to say how many there are. But the IUCN came to the conclusion that the number of these birds was going down.
Similar Articles: STATE BIRD OF MAHARASHTRA: THE MOST TRENDING TOPIC NOW
Habitat of State Bird Of Jammu And Kashmir
The national bird of Kashmir can be seen in many different places, including lowland evergreen and deciduous woods. Moreover, these include oak, sal, spruce, and rhododendron), thickets, secondary vegetation, and abandoned cultivation. These go as far as south as NE Bangladesh and as high as 3700 m in Nepal.
There are not enough facts. The state bird of j&k is thought to be resident. But the seasonal movement is likely in the northern part of its range and in Bhutan, where its summer range is between 1000 and 2800 meters (with rare records to 3000 meters). But where it is entirely absent from the mountains between December and February, except for a few records as low as 800 meters (or even 400 meters). In some parts of the world, people have to walk a long way every day to get to a water source.
Diet and Foraging
Omnivorous. This animal eats acorns, ripe Pyrus and Rosa fruits, Viscum stems, Desmodium pods, Dioscorea bulbils, Nyctanthes seeds, nettle and fern tops, Polygonum and Rubus fruits, and small snakes. Besides, they forage in groups of up to ten birds and maybe as many as twenty (probably family units, but single-sex flocks have been seen regularly in Bhutan); mostly scratches the ground but can dig for roots and tubers; often seen on paths and even fields in the early morning and late evening.
Sounds and Vocal Behavior
During mating season, the male shows the female his body by drumming with his wings spread wide. So, if the birds are startled, they make noises like guinea pigs, like “koorchi koorchi koorchi” or “psee psee psee” if they are forced to fly.
The state bird of Kashmir has a significant breeding habitat. Moreover, there is a big difference in race; April and May are the most common months. Usually, a mother bird raises three chicks during the second week of May. Besides, evidence points to both monogamy and polygamy when it comes to mating. Moreover, they use a small hole in the ground near water surrounded by many plants. Furthermore, incubation takes between 20 and 22 days, depending on how warm it is. However, only the female does it; the young birds are covered in chestnut and brown down on top and white on the bottom.
Conservation Status of State Bird Of Jammu And Kashmir
The state bird of Jammu Kashmir falls under the Least Concern category. Not a worldwide emergency (Least Concern). So, the status is not of immediate concern because it lives in many different habitats, including secondary vegetation, over an extensive range (estimated at 1,310,000 km2). But the situation varies by race. For example, lathami surveys in Arunachal Pradesh found that the species was most common in unlogged forests and utterly absent from plantations.
Faqs: State Bird Of Jammu And Kashmir
Who Is The State Bird Of Jammu And Kashmir?
The government of Jammu and Kashmir named the Kalij Pheasant its UT bird on October 21, 2021.
What Is Kashmiri Name Of Kalij Pheasant?
Kalij Pheasant has a kashmiri name as “Wan Kokur”, in Kashmiri. The bird, “Lophura Leucomelanos,” lives in Jammu, especially in Mansar, Surinsar, Jasrota, Bhaderwah, Aru, and Uri.
Where Is Kalij Pheasant Found In Jammu And Kashmir?
They are common in the highlands of Jammu. Most of them live in the forests of Jasorta, Mansar, Bhaderwah, Doda, and Surinsar.
Parvaiz Yousuf is a senior SEO writer and editor with an experience of over 6 years, who also doubles up as a researcher. With an MSc zoology degree under his belt and possessing complete Search Engine Optimization (SEO) knowledge, he works as a science journalist for a US-based website and Asian Scientist (A Singapore-based magazine). He also works as Director of Wetland Research Centre, Wildlife Conservation Fund YPJK since 2018. Besides, he has several publications to his name on cancer biology and biochemistry in some reputed journals such as Nature & International Journal of Molecular Sciences, & magazines such as Science Reporter, BUCEROS BNHS, and has an abiding interest in ornithology. He also worked as a Research Associate for JK Policy Institute.