Western Tragopan (Tragopan melanocephalus)

Other Names: Black-headed Tragopan, Western Horned Pheasant

Range: The western Himalayas in Northern Pakistan, Northwestern India

Subspecies: None

Habitat: Himalayan Forests

Status in Wild: Rare and vulnerable.

Avicultural Data

Status in Aviculture: They were first brought to captivity in the 1860s when over fifty birds were brought to the London Zoo and breeders in France over a thirty year period (Delacour 1977). They disappeared from collections in the 1930s and very few, if any, have been imported to Europe or America since. Currently, there are no Western Tragopans in captivity in the United States.

Misc. Aviculture Notes: A great deal of information will be gathered over the coming months as this species is currently being kept in captivity in the Himachal Pradesh India with the help of the World Pheasant Association.