Monal Pheasant Nepal: Seeing the National Bird in the Wild

Overview

The Himalayan monal (Lophophorus impejanus), known locally as danphe, is Nepal's national bird and one of the most spectacular pheasants in the world. Males are iridescent -- the head shines metallic green, the back blue and copper, the chest purple-black, and the rump brilliant white, all visible in a bird that stands 70 cm long. Females are streaked brown with a distinctive white throat patch.

The monal inhabits subalpine and alpine meadows from 2,400 to 4,500 m altitude, descending to lower forest in heavy winter snow. It is protected under Nepal's National Parks and Wildlife Conservation Act.

Best Viewing Locations

Poon Hill (3,210 m) on the Ghorepani-Poon Hill trek is the single most accessible location for monal viewing in Nepal. On clear mornings between October and April, groups of three to fifteen monals feed on the grassy slopes below the viewing platform. Males display their full iridescent plumage in the early morning light -- a sight that stops every trekker in their tracks.

Langtang National Park above Kyanjin Gompa (3,870 m) and the Gosaikunda alpine zone have monal populations. The slopes between Lauribinayak and Gosaikunda Lake are particularly productive in October and May when birds are most visible on open hillsides.

Everest Base Camp route: The Tengboche to Dingboche section passes through monal habitat at 3,500 to 4,000 m. Dawn walks from Tengboche in October regularly produce monal sightings on the rhododendron slopes.

Behaviour and Diet

Monals feed by digging with their strong bills in alpine meadows for bulbs, tubers, and invertebrates. Excavations in the turf 30 to 50 cm deep are a reliable sign of monal presence even before the birds are seen.

Plan your Kathmandu to Pokhara bus or flight through Sajilo's booking platform at sajilo.net as the starting point for the Ghorepani-Poon Hill trek.

FAQ

What does the monal's call sound like?
The monal has a loud, clear, whistling call -- "wheee-ah" -- that carries for several hundred metres in open terrain. Males call most frequently at dawn and dusk during the spring breeding season (March to May).

Can I see a monal without trekking to high altitude?
Shivapuri-Nagarjun National Park (just north of Kathmandu) has a small monal population at its upper elevations (2,200 to 2,700 m). Determined early-morning hikers reach monal habitat in about two hours from the park gate.

Is the monal protected in Nepal?
Yes. Hunting the national bird carries severe penalties under wildlife law. The monal is also protected from capture or trade.