Justification This pheasant's small population is naturally fragmented because it lives in small patches of successional grassland. Human population pressure, grazing pressure from livestock, hunting and changing patterns of land-use are resulting in its decline within this habitat, so it qualifies as Vulnerable.

Family/Sub-family Phasianidae

Species name author (Hardwicke, 1827)

Taxonomic source(s) Sibley and Monroe (1990, 1993)

Synonyms Catreus wallichii Sibley and Monroe (1990, 1993), Catreus wallichii Collar and Andrew (1988)

Identification Male 90-118 cm, female 61-76 cm. Grey, brown and buff bar-tailed pheasant with long crest and red facial skin. Male has largely plain pale-greyish upper neck and clear, dark barring on upperparts. Female is smaller, somewhat duller and more heavily marked. Similar spp. Possibly confusable with female Kalij Pheasant Lophura leucomelanos, but rather pale neck and underparts with dark scaling/mottling rufous-buff to buffish-washed rump, belly and vent, and long, straight barred tail distinctive. Voice Loud chir-a-pir chir-a-pir chir chir-chirwa chirwa and high, piercing chewewoo notes, interspersed with short chut and harsh staccato notes.

Population estimate

Population trend

Range estimate (breeding/resident)

Country endemic?

4,000 - 6,000

decreasing

27,500 km²

No

Range & population Catreus wallichi occurs in the western Himalayas from north Pakistan, through Kashmir into Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand, India, and east to central Nepal. It has always been reported as uncommon with a patchy distribution owing to its specialised habitat requirements which often brings it into close proximity to human populations¹. Many subpopulations are thought to number fewer than 10 individuals, living in small pockets of suitable habitat. In Pakistan, it may now only persist in the Jhelum valley. In India, it has declined, with most known populations now confined to Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand. The area in and around Majathal Wildlife Sanctuary appears to be important with densities of 24 pairs/km² recorded during 1983 and recent reports confirming the notion that a sizeable population remains². The population in the Kai-i-nag area of Kashmir is also thought to be sizeable⁸. In Nepal, it appears to be localised, occurring from the Baitadi district in the west, east to the Kali Gandaki river. Its status in the country is poorly known but repeat surveys in Dhorpatan conducted in 1981 and 2003 revealed a slight decline, with a corrected population estimate of 127-212 birds in the valley, but this trend was not statistically significant². Areas surrounding Dhorpatan Hunting Reserve were also found to support populations at similar densities of 5-10 birds/km2 with corrected population estimates of 56-71 individuals in the Bobang area, 19-22 individuals in Adlikari area and 61-127 individuals in the Muri area, all just outside the reserve⁵. Small populations have been identified at Trikuta and within Rara National Park in 2005 and local reports during that survey indicated that the species occurs more widely within Mugu and Jumla districts⁷. Apparent declines at Ghansa suggest it may have declined overall in Nepal, but the level of threat remains low in parts of its range and further work is required to improve knowledge of the species's distribution and population numbers⁶. The increasing number of new locations following an increase in survey effort indicates that further areas will be found to support the species in suitable habitat.

Important Bird Areas Click here to view map showing IBAs where species is recorded and triggers any of the IBA criteria.

Ecology: It is resident in precipitous, rocky terrain dominated by scrub, tall grass and scattered clumps of trees, most frequently from 1,200 to 3,350 m. Occupied sites are characterised by a combination of low shrubs subject to regular browsing and cutting, with grass growing through spring and summer harvested for livestock fodder in the autumn. It has been recorded in regrowing forest of conifer and broadleaf, juniper and rhododendron on grassy slopes². Its preference for early successional habitats, often created by traditional grass cutting and burning regimes, has led to an association with human settlements (and therefore high vulnerability to hunting). It has been recorded breeding in India in May-June and September with clutch sizes of 6-12 eggs³.

Threats Having been widely shot for sport in the early 20th century, it is still hunted for food, and its eggs collected for local consumption. The patchy nature of its specialised habitat may render the smallest isolated populations vulnerable to extinctions, and higher levels of disturbance, grazing and the felling of wooded ravines now pose a substantial threat. In particular, hunting pressure and habitat destruction by fire and overgrazing have been implicated in its decline in Pakistan², however, these human controlled practices are also important in maintaining moderately disturbed habitats which the species favours. Conversion of grassland to permanent arable terraces is reducing available habitat, as are schemes to plant mid-altitude grasslands with forest. A key requirement for the long-term survival of this species will be to strike a balance between maintaining the low intensity human practices on which the species relies (as they maintain plagioclimax habitats), while limiting hunting pressure. This balance appears to be possible, as in parts of its Indian range the species is reportedly not hunted regularly because it is not considered good to eat.

Conservation measures underway CITES Appendix I. The species is legally protected in Nepal and India. It occurs in a number of protected areas in India and Nepal. Many status surveys have now been conducted in Himachal Pradesh (principally a week-long intensive survey involving 3,000 Forest Department staff in 2005, scheduled for repeat in 2008⁹) and Uttarakhand, India, and in Nepal using a standardised call count methodology along with research into population ecology and habitat preferences^2,4, and a proposal has been submitted to study the species in Rara National Parl, mid-western Nepal. An awareness raising project was carried out in the Kali Gandaki Valley by the Annapurna Conservation Area Project, the World Pheasant Association and Bird Conservation Nepal in 2004. Reintroduction in Pakistan has been unsuccessful. A workshop was held in Kathmandu in April 2006 to share information gathered in five separate studies within the species's range⁴.

Conservation measures proposed Survey areas where Cheer populations have been identified but not yet studied, particularly in western Nepal. Monitor populations at as many key sites as possible. Develop a species management plan to cover habitat prescriptions, public awareness and the enforcement of hunting bans Study burning and grazing regimes at known sites to monitor their impact. Use it as a flagship species in producing and promoting habitat management recommendations based on these studies. Assess the effects of villagers upon the species and its habitat. Conduct further research into its ecology. Conserve key sites and habitats.

References BirdLife International (2001). Keane et al. (in press a). 1. K. Ramesh in litt. (2004). 2. Subedi (2003). 3. Bisht et al. (2005). 4. Garson and Baral (2006). 5. Singh et al. (2006). 6. Acharya and Thapa (2003). 7. Bhudathapa (2006). 8. R. Kaul in litt. (2007). 9. L. Mohan in litt. (2007).

Further web sources of information

Fully detailed species accounts from the Threatened birds of Asia: the BirdLife International Red Data Book (BirdLife International 2001), together with new information collated since the publication of the Red Data Book

Text account compilers Phil Benstead (BirdLife International), Jeremy Bird (BirdLife International), Pete Davidson (BirdLife International), Aidan Keane (World Pheasant Association)

Contributors Raju Acharya, Hem Sagar Baral (Bird Conservation Nepal), Shahid Bashir, John Corder (Pheasant Specialist Group), Peter Garson (Pheasant Specialist Group), Carol Inskipp, Rahul Kaul (IUCN SSC), Lalit Mohan, K. Ramesh (Wildlife Institute of India), Paras Singh (Bird Conservation Nepal), Poorneshwor Subedi

IUCN Red List evaluators Jeremy Bird (BirdLife International), Stuart Butchart (BirdLife International), Peter Garson (Pheasant Specialist Group), Phil McGowan (World Pheasant Association)

Recommended citation BirdLife International (2009) Species factsheet: Catreus wallichi. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 10/2/2010

This information is based upon, and updates, the information published in BirdLife International (2000) Threatened birds of the world. Barcelona and Cambridge, UK: Lynx Edicions and BirdLife International, BirdLife International (2004) Threatened birds of the world 2004 CD-ROM and BirdLife International (2008) Threatened birds of the world 2008 CD-ROM. These sources provide the information for species accounts for the birds on the IUCN Red List.

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