Wildlifeof China
Himalayan Snowcock
Pheasants, Partridges & Quails
Photo: (c) Griha Hasanov, some rights reserved (CC BY) · CC-BY
Tetraogallus himalayensis
Basic stats
Diet
Grass, shoots, berries and seeds
Habitat
Alpine pastures and steep rocky cliffs
Range
Himalayan ranges and parts of the adjoining Pamir range
Clutch size
5–12 eggs
Incubation period
27–28 days (incubator)
Size
55–74cm
Weight
2–3.1kg
The Himalayan snowcock is a large grey, partridge-like bird 55–74cm long and weighing 2–3.1kg, found across the Himalayan ranges and parts of the adjoining Pamir range. The head pattern resembles that of the smaller chukar partridge, the upper breast is grey with dark crescent bars, and the undertail coverts are white. About five subspecies differ in colouration (Wikipedia, general species account).
It lives on alpine pastures and steep rocky cliffs, diving down the slopes to escape. When not breeding it is gregarious, in small groups, and feeds on grass, shoots, berries and seeds. In India breeding is in summer, April to June, with five to twelve eggs incubated by the female alone; eggs hatched in an incubator after 27–28 days (Wikipedia, general species account).
Quick answers
- What does the Himalayan Snowcock eat?
- Grass, shoots, berries and seeds
- What habitat does the Himalayan Snowcock live in?
- Alpine pastures and steep rocky cliffs
- Where is the Himalayan Snowcock found?
- Himalayan ranges and parts of the adjoining Pamir range
- How many eggs does the Himalayan Snowcock lay?
- 5–12 eggs
- How long are the eggs of the Himalayan Snowcock incubated?
- 27–28 days (incubator)
- How big is the Himalayan Snowcock?
- 55–74cm
- How much does the Himalayan Snowcock weigh?
- 2–3.1kg