The Himalayan Monal, Lophophorus impejanus is also referred as the Impeyan Monal or Impeyan Pheasant. It is a bird of genus Lophophorus of the pheasant family. It is the state bird of Uttarakhand. The male Himalayan Monals of northwestern India do not have the white rump, which the Himalayan Monals have. They also have a deeper tinge of green on the breast.
It is a large sized bird nearly seventy centimeters in length. The adult males possess a long crest which is metallic green in colour and have multicoloured feathers over their body. The females like other pheasants are dull in colour with the upper parts covered with dark brownish- black feathers. The striking feature in males is the back and the neck, which is reddish brown in colour and the back, which is white. The tail feathers of the males are rufous which is darker towards the tip. The lower tails of the females are white, barred with black and rufous. The females have a striking white patch in the fore neck and a white strip on the tail.
The Himalayan Monal is seen in pairs during the breeding season and they assemble and involve in communal roosting during the winter.
