About Pucrasia macrolopha (R.Lesson, 1829)
The koklass pheasant, with the scientific name Pucrasia macrolopha, is a gamebird species closely related to Miocene progenitive grouse. It is distantly related to pheasants, and most closely related to grouse and turkeys. Koklass pheasants make up the only species in the monotypic genus Pucrasia. Both the common name "koklass" and the genus name "pucrasia" are onomatopoeically derived from the bird's territorial call. Koklass pheasants are boreal-adapted species that are divided into three distinct species groups. They are one of the few gamebird species that regularly fly uphill, and they are capable of sustained flights that cover many miles. Koklass pheasants are primarily monogamous, with a slight tendency toward social polyandry. Both parents participate in rearing the chicks. For most of the year, koklass pheasants are largely vegetarian, feeding on pine nuts, pine shoots, bamboo shoots, and seeds. They are highly insectivorous during the warmer months that overlap with nesting and chick-rearing. During this life cycle phase, they feed almost exclusively on ants, but have also been documented eating catkins, pollen, and fruit. The koklass pheasant is a polytypic species with nine recognized subspecies: Kashmir koklass pheasant (P. m. biddulphi, Marshall G.F.L, 1879), Western koklass pheasant (P. m. castanea, Gould, 1854), Darwin's koklass pheasant (P. m. darwini, Swinhoe, 1872), Joret's koklass pheasant (P. m. joretiana, Heude, 1883), Indian koklass pheasant (P. m. macrolopha, Lesson R.P., 1829), Meyer's koklass pheasant (P. m. meyeri, Madarász, 1886), Nepal koklass pheasant (P. m. nipalensis, Gould, 1854), Orange-collared koklass pheasant (P. m. ruficollis, David A. & Oustalet, 1877), and Yellow-necked koklass pheasant (P. m. xanthospila, Gray & GR, 1886). This entry focuses on the subspecies P. m. biddulphi, whose range extends from Kashmir to Kullu in India. Except for the subspecies P. m. nipalensis, P. m. castanea, and P. m. macrolopha, which are endemic to the southern side of the northwest and western Himalaya, the remaining five subspecies are confined to China and Mongolia. The koklass pheasant is a medium-sized elusive bird restricted to high-altitude forests ranging from Afghanistan to central Nepal, and from northeastern Tibet to northern and eastern China. The upper parts of male koklass pheasants are covered in silver-grey plumage, with velvety-black streaks down the center of each feather. Males also have a unique set of features: a black head, a chestnut breast, and prominent white patches on the sides of the neck. Females differ from males in these traits; their upper parts are covered with pale brown plumage instead. Both sexes, however, have distinctive elongated tails tipped with pale feathers. Males weigh approximately 1135–1415 g, while females weigh approximately 1025–1135 g. Body length ranges from 58 to 64 cm for males and 18–22 cm for females. Immature and juvenile koklass pheasants match adult females in plumage pattern. Like the western tragopan, the koklass pheasant does not extend its range above the tree line. As one of the less colorful pheasant species, the koklass pheasant exhibits moderate sexual dimorphism. Although the birds skulk under bushes, which makes direct sightings difficult, they give loud chorus or pre-dawn calls during the breeding season and autumn that reveal their presence, allowing researchers to estimate population sizes. Koklass pheasants stay in pairs or small family groups year-round. They nest on the ground, and roost overnight in trees or under rock overhangs.
