Cheer Pheasant
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Cheer Pheasant | ||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conservation status | ||||||||||||||
| Scientific classification | ||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||
| Binomial name | ||||||||||||||
| Catreus wallichi (Hardwicke, 1827) |
The Cheer Pheasant, Catreus wallichi also known as Wallich's Pheasant is an endangered species of the pheasant family, Phasianidae. It is the only member in monotypic genus Catreus.
The Cheer Pheasant is distributed in the highlands and scrublands of the Himalayas region of India, Nepal and Pakistan. These birds lack the color and brilliance of most pheasants, with buffy gray plumage and long gray crests. Its long tail is gray and brown. The female is slightly smaller in overall size.
The scientific name commemorates the Danish botanist Nathaniel Wallich.
Due to ongoing habitat loss, small population size and hunting in some areas, the Cheer Pheasant is evaluated as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. It is listed on Appendix I of CITES. While an endangered species, there are attempts to reintroduce captive bred Cheer Pheasant in Pakistan.
[edit] References
- BirdLife International (2004). Catreus wallichi. 2006 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. IUCN 2006. Retrieved on 11 May 2006. Database entry includes a range map, a brief justification of why this species is vulnerable, and the criteria used

