Temminck's Tragopan Fact File
Appearance
Male Temminck’s tragopans are easily noticeable due to the throat wattle under the chin known as the lappet. This sits flat against the throat during most of the year with only a blue patch around the eye visible. This blue patch is surrounded with black feathers. During mating it is expanded and a range of red markings running down either side can be seen. Also on top of their head are a pair of blue ‘horns.’ These typically sit flat against their head but stick up when the wattle is inflated. The rest of the body is mostly orange with white spots.
Females are much less spectacular than the male. Their body is brown with white spots across the entire body.They have strong, wide feet to assist them when perching. The beak is black and short. It is adapted to help tear and grasp plants. Their wings are short and rounded to help with take off.
Their body length is 63cm (25in) long. They weigh between 900 and 1440g (31.7-50.8g).
Diet
Temminck’s tragopan is primarily herbivorous. Most of their diet is made up of plants such as young shoots and berries, buds and fruit. They will also feed on small amounts of insects.
Foraging primarily takes place on the ground where they can scratch up food.
Scientific Name
Tragopan temminckii
Conservation Status
Least Concern
Weight
900-1440g(31.7-50.8g)
Length
63cm (25in)
Lifespan
Not Recorded
Diet
Herbivorous
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Range
Asia is the native home of Temminck’s tragopan. Here they can be found throughout China, India, Myanmar and Vietnam.
Habitat
They make their home in forest and shrubland. Typically they favor dense areas. During summer they live higher on the mountain sides which they call home.
Reproduction
Breeding takes place during March and April. Males perform a courtship display for the female by expanding the colourful throat wattle and shaking this to attract the females attention. During courtship he will also make a loud, booming moan. If he is successful in obtaining this then the female will initiate mating.
Following a successful mating the female will build her nest in a tree. On occasion they make use of abandoned crows nests.
In to the nest she will deposit 2-4 eggs. These are incubated for up to 28 days. Across a season they may lay up to 3 clutches of eggs. The male is not involved with incubation or raising the chicks.
By 48 hours old the chicks are already moving themselves between branches.
Sexual maturity is reached at 2 years old.
Behaviour
Temminck’s tragopan is active during the day. They are shy.
They nest in trees.
Predators and Threats
Currently the population of Temminck’s tragopan is relatively stable. Small amounts are hunted both for the pet trade and food.
Quick facts
Temminck’s tragopan is one of Earth’s five tragopan species. All of these are found in Asia.
Their name comes from a Dutch zoologist, Coenraad Jacob Temminck.
Photo Credits
Top
Ted/ CC BY-SA (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0)
Bottom
By DickDaniels (http://carolinabirds.org/) - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=17657053
References
Burnie, D., 2011. Animal. 3rd ed. London: DK
Ebird.org. 2020. Temminck's Tragopan - Ebird. [online] Available at: <https://ebird.org/species/temtra1?siteLanguage=en_AU> [Accessed 10 July 2020].
Banham Zoo | Animal Conservation | Zoological Society of East Anglia. 2020. Temminck’S Tragopan | Birds | Animals At Banham Zoo. [online] Available at: <https://www.banhamzoo.co.uk/animals/temmincks-tragopan/>[Accessed 10 July 2020].
BirdLife International. 2016. Tragopan temminckii. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2016: e.T22679169A92805480. https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T22679169A92805480.en. Downloaded on 09 July 2020.
Harewood House. 2020. Temminck’S Tragopan. [online] Available at: <https://harewood.org/explore/bird-garden/bird/temmincks-tragopan/> [Accessed 10 July 2020].
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