Birds
Koklass Pheasant
Pucrasia macrolopha · also called koklass pheasants
Calling out a harsh, far-carrying “koklass” from high mountain forest, a koklass pheasant reveals a distinctive double-pointed crest that sets it apart from every other pheasant species sharing the same Himalayan slopes.
Overview
The koklass pheasant, Pucrasia macrolopha, is a distinctively crested bird native to forest and mountain habitat across the Himalayas, extending from Afghanistan through to central China. Its unusual double-pointed forked crest, harsh onomatopoeic call, and preference for higher elevation forest than many other pheasant species make it one of the more behaviourally and physically distinctive members of the pheasant family found across the Himalayan range.
A name borrowed from its own voice
Few pheasants are named as directly after their own call as the koklass pheasant, whose harsh, far-carrying vocalisation gave rise to a common name that doubles as a rough transcription of the sound itself.
Status
Least Concern, remaining present across suitable forest and mountain habitat throughout the Himalayas.
Koklass Pheasant: common questions
How did the koklass pheasant get its name?
This species produces a harsh, far-carrying call resembling the sound "koklass," a distinctive vocalisation that gives rise to its common name, making it identifiable by ear even when the bird itself remains hidden within mountain forest.
What does the koklass pheasant's crest look like?
This species has a distinctive double-pointed, forked crest of feathers, an unusual head ornament not shared by most other pheasant species and one of the clearest ways to identify it at a glance.
How does the koklass pheasant compare in colour to other pheasants?
Males of this species have a predominantly grey-brown body marked with a rufous-coloured throat patch, a considerably more subdued colour scheme than many showier pheasant relatives such as the golden pheasant or Lady Amherst's pheasant.
Where does the koklass pheasant live?
This species is native to forest and mountain habitat across the Himalayas, extending from Afghanistan through to central China, typically favouring higher elevation forest than many other pheasant species.