Temminck’s Tragopan
Tragopan temminckii
At the Zoo
Binowee Aviary
Fascinating Facts
Temminck’s tragopans nest in trees, unlike their other pheasant relatives. Young develop quickly and are able to fly just a few days after hatching. Temminck’s tragopans are threatened by habitat loss, habitat degradation and egg- and feather-collecting.
Physical Characteristics
Length from beak to tail is approximately 2 feet; weight is between 3 – 5 pounds. Females are brown; males have a black and pale blue head, and a russet body with grey and black spots. The “lappet” or bib-like wattle is brilliant blue and red and is expanded during courtship rituals as are two blue “horns” which raise above the eyes.
Diet
Seeds, flowers, leaves, mosses, ferns, berries, insects
Habitat
Mixed evergreen, bamboo and rhododendron forests at high altitudes
Social Behavior
Males perform elaborate courtship displays to attract females which includes tail fanning, lappet inflating and dancing.
Status In The Wild
Other
Andean condors are threatened due to habitat loss, from ingesting carrion contaminated with lead shot, and from being hunted by farmers and ranchers who consider them to be pest animals. They also have a slow reproductive rate and mate for life – if a mate is killed, a reproducing pair is eliminated.