Danfe
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Danfe, also called Himalayan Monal, Lophophorus impejanus, Impeyan Monal or Impeyan Pheasant, is the national bird of Nepal. Danphe is a bird of genus Lophophorus of the pheasant family, Phasianidae. These exotic of all pheasants are the inhabitants of high elevation of the Himalayan range. In summer, they are found in rocky, grass covered meadows and winters in coniferous and mixed forests. Over 850 species of birds have been recorded in Nepal.
The males are adorned with beautiful metallic colors of green, purple, red and blue; they also have a large white patch on the rump. The breast and underparts are black and the tail is copper. The males also have a very long crest, much like a peacock. The male also has a bare patch of turquoise blue skin around the eye. The hens, while much duller than the male, are still attractive. They are basically mottled brown overall, with black, buff and white streaks. Her throat is white and she has a short crest. Hens also have the blue patch around the eyes. First year males resemble the hens, but are larger and have black feathers on the neck and breast.
Danfe birds need to housed in a large, well-drained aviary. Like the Eared-Pheasants and Cheer, they love to dig with their strong bills and will often destroy the grass, shrubs and other greenery in the aviary. They do best on sandy soil that is easy to dig, but do be sure to keep it dry. They can tolerate cold weather very well, but need plenty of shelter and shade from the hot summer sun as they are birds from the cool mountain forests and unable to withstand extreme heat. When they dance, they stretch their wings and tail feathers showing their glorious colors.
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