Searching for the Pheasants of Pakistan

After accepting the invitation to become a Board member for WWF Pakistan, Swabibirder has been given more responsibilities. Not only will he continue to photograph birds, he will also undertake a special task as the youngest board member.

 

This time the mission was to find the elusive Cheer Pheasant (Catreus wallichii) in the mountains of Hazara division and a short survey to confirm the observations. On the 15 October 2022, I left Islamabad along with the team at 0400 hrs. Thanks to the motorway network, we crossed Manshera district in two hours and after driving for another two hours, we reached Panja Gali.

 

Panja Gali is at 2200 feet above sea level. The only forest left is a few square kilometres, and the area is the place to search for Cheer Pheasant. Cheer Pheasant was once on the verge of extinction due to poaching, hunting and grass burning. Now with the help of WWF Pakistan and KPK Wildlife their number has grown and an estimated 20 pairs have been recorded. We spent the whole day in the forest and came back in the evening. Some participants did spot few birds, and most heard the calls. Next morning around 0500 hrs, we again split into different parties. Amin and Tahir took this beautiful shot of a male Cheer Pheasant in the area.


A male Cheer Pheasant (c) Tahir Abbas Awan

 

Pakistan has five different pheasant spices and Swabibirder   has decided to go search for each one of them. Kalij Pheasant (Lophura leucomelanus) and cheer Pheasant I have now seen. Trying to find Western Tragopan (Tragopan melanocephalus), Koklass Pheasant (Pucrasia macrolopha) and Himalayan Monal (Lophophorus impejanus) will be the difficult task ahead. Climate change has brought lot of flooding to Pakistan and the early winters have forced the birds to leave high elevations. However, we hope to have a wonderful birding season ahead.

 

Islbirder here; I wish Swabibirder and the rest of the Team all the very best in their quest for the other Pheasant species in Pakistan. May I recommend an early dawn trek near to the Pipeline Trail at Dunga Gali for Koklass Pheasant. They are easy enough to hear at dawn but very difficult to see. Good luck!

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