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Western Tragopan Tragopan melanocephalus

IUCN Red List Criteria

Critically Endangered  
Endangered  
Vulnerable C2a(i) 

IUCN Red List history

Year Category
2012 Vulnerable
2008 Vulnerable
2004 Vulnerable
2000 Vulnerable
1996 Vulnerable
1994 Vulnerable
1988 Threatened

Species attributes

Migratory status altitudinal migrant Forest dependency High
Land mass type continent
 Average mass -

Distribution

  Estimate Data quality
Extent of Occurrence breeding/resident (km2) 21,600 medium
Number of locations 11-100 -
Fragmentation -

Population & trend

  Estimate Data quality Derivation Year of estimate
No. of mature individuals 3300 medium Estimated 1995
Population trend Decreasing poor -
Number of subpopulations 2-100 - - -
Largest subpopulation 250-1000 - - -
Generation length (yrs) 5.2 - - -
Population justification: A population estimate of at least 5,000 individuals is derived from Gaston et al. (1981b) and McGowan and Garson (1995). This is roughly equivalent to 3,300 mature individuals. Recent reports of additional populations in Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Pakistan and Himachal Pradesh may lead to an increase in the estimated global population size in the future, although conversely it has been suggested that the world population in the wild has been reduced to 2,500-3,500 individuals (S. Pandey per A. Rahmani in litt. 2012), prompting the need for wider surveys.
Trend justification: The species's population is likely to be in decline given the combined threats of trapping, hunting, disturbance by humans and livestock, and habitat degradation (F. Buner in litt. 2012), but this decline has not been quantified and is not thought to be particularly severe, thus the rate of decline is suspected to be moderate.

Country/Territory distribution

Country/Territory Occurrence status Extinct Breeding Non-breeding Passage
India Native No Yes    
Pakistan Native No Yes    

Important Bird Areas where this species has triggered the IBA criteria

Country/Territory IBA Name IBA link
India Daranghati Wildlife Sanctuary site factsheet
India Dehra Gali (DKG) forest site factsheet
India Dhauludhar Wildlife Sanctuary and McLeod Gunj site factsheet
India Gamgul Siahbehi Wildlife Sanctuary site factsheet
India Govind National Park and Wildlife Sanctuary, Sandra, Kotinad and Singtur ranges (Tons forest division) site factsheet
India Great Himalayan National Park site factsheet
India Kais Wildlife Sanctuary site factsheet
India Kanawar Wildlife Sanctuary site factsheet
India Kistwar National Park site factsheet
India Lachipora Wildlife Sanctuary site factsheet
India Limbar Valley Wildlife Sanctuary site factsheet
India Manali Wildlife Sanctuary site factsheet
India Rupi Bhaba Wildlife Sanctuary site factsheet
India Sangla (Raksham Chitkul) Wildlife Sanctuary site factsheet
India Sechu Tuan Nala Wildlife Sanctuary site factsheet
India Talra Wildlife Sanctuary site factsheet
India Tirthan Wildlife Sanctuary site factsheet
Pakistan Duber valley site factsheet
Pakistan Kayal valley site factsheet
Pakistan Machiara National Park site factsheet
Pakistan Palas valley site factsheet
Pakistan Qadir Gali area site factsheet
Pakistan Salkala Wildlife Sanctuary site factsheet

Habitats & altitude

Habitat (level 1) Habitat (level 2) Importance Occurrence
Forest Temperate major resident
Altitude 1750 - 3600 m Occasional altitudinal limits  

Threats & impact

Threat (level 1) Threat (level 2) Impact and Stresses
Agriculture & Aquaculture Annual & perennial non-timber crops / Small-holder farming Timing Scope Severity Impact
Ongoing Minority (<50%) Slow, Significant Decline Low Impact: 5
Stresses
Ecosystem degradation, Ecosystem conversion
Agriculture & Aquaculture Livestock farming & ranching / Agro-industry grazing, ranching or farming Timing Scope Severity Impact
Ongoing Minority (<50%) Slow, Significant Decline Low Impact: 5
Stresses
Ecosystem degradation, Ecosystem conversion
Agriculture & Aquaculture Livestock farming & ranching / Small-holder grazing, ranching or farming Timing Scope Severity Impact
Ongoing Minority (<50%) Slow, Significant Decline Low Impact: 5
Stresses
Ecosystem degradation, Ecosystem conversion
Biological resource use Fishing & harvesting aquatic resources / Unintentional effects: (subsistence/small scale) Timing Scope Severity Impact
Ongoing Minority (<50%) Slow, Significant Decline Low Impact: 5
Stresses
Ecosystem degradation, Ecosystem conversion
Biological resource use Gathering terrestrial plants / Unintentional effects (species is not the target) Timing Scope Severity Impact
Ongoing Minority (<50%) Slow, Significant Decline Low Impact: 5
Stresses
Ecosystem degradation, Ecosystem conversion
Biological resource use Hunting & trapping terrestrial animals / Intentional use (species is the target) Timing Scope Severity Impact
Ongoing Minority (<50%) Slow, Significant Decline Low Impact: 5
Stresses
Species mortality

Utilisation

Purpose Primary form used Life stage used Source Scale Level Timing
Pets Whole Adults and juveniles Wild International Trivial Recent
Food (human) Whole Adults and juveniles Wild Subsistence, National Non-trivial Recent
Handicrafts, jewellery, decorations, curios Whole Adults and juveniles Wild Subsistence, National Non-trivial Recent

Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2013) Species factsheet: Tragopan melanocephalus. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 19/06/2013. Recommended citation for factsheets for more than one species: BirdLife International (2013) IUCN Red List for birds. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 19/06/2013.

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.

To provide new information to update this factsheet or to correct any errors, please email BirdLife

To contribute to discussions on the evaluation of the IUCN Red List status of Globally Threatened Birds, please visit BirdLife's Globally Threatened Bird Forums.

Key facts
Current IUCN Red List category Vulnerable
Family Phasianidae (Grouse, pheasants and partridges)
Species name author (Gray, 1829)
Population size 3300 mature individuals
Population trend Decreasing
Distribution size (breeding/resident) 21,600 km2
Country endemic? No
Links to further information
- Summary information on this species