Koklass pheasant (Pucrasia macrolopha)

Koklass pheasant (Pucrasia macrolopha)

Encountering this koklass pheasant (Pucrasia macrolopha) peacefully feeding off the juicy spring shoots and buttercup flowers was a wonderful experience. Not a…


Koklass pheasant (Pucrasia macrolopha)

Koklass pheasant (Pucrasia macrolopha)

A koklass pheasant (Pucrasia macrolopha) leisurly crossing the road. The many species of pheasant found in the Himalayas is incredible, and seeing them up…


Himalayan monal (Lophophorus impejanus)

Himalayan monal (Lophophorus impejanus)

Himalayan monal (Lophophorus impejanus) is the state bird of Uttarakhand, and and incredibly beautiful bird. In Chopta and by most temples this is a commonly…


Red junglefowl (Gallus gallus)

Red junglefowl (Gallus gallus)

This is a common species, but nonetheless a beautiful one, especially when you can see it in the open like here, where it was foraging in the leaf litter and…


Kalij pheasant (Lophura leucomelanos)

Kalij pheasant (Lophura leucomelanos)

On my way down from an amazing sunrise near the Dochula Pass I encountered this gorgeous male kalij pheasant (Lophura leucomelanos) strolling leisurely with…


Himalayan monal (Lophophorus impejanus)

Himalayan monal (Lophophorus impejanus)

Although the Himalayan monal (Lophophorus impejanus) not a threatened species that does not mean it is either common to see, despite its amazing iridescent…


Blood pheasant (Ithaginis cruentus)

Blood pheasant (Ithaginis cruentus)

After a beautiful sunrise as we were ascending towards the pass we encountered the first of several blood pheasants here. I find both male and females really…


Radiated Tortoise (Astrochelys radiata)

Radiated Tortoise (Astrochelys radiata)

This is a terribly lonely tortoise. It was removed from its homeland of Madagascar decades ago to this island (Bird Island) when the island was a coconut and…


Aldabra giant tortoise (Aldabrachelys gigantea)

Aldabra giant tortoise (Aldabrachelys gigantea)

This giant tortoise species is named after one of the largest atolls in the world, Aldabra, which is also its last stronghold after centuries of human…


Julia (Dryas iulia)

Julia (Dryas iulia)

Julia (Dryas iulia) turned up as I was photographing flowers alongside one of the trails around SouthWild Pantanal.