Chinese Monal
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[Photo] Lophophore de Lhuys - Lophophorus lhuysii - Chinese Monal. Author: Daniel Giraud Elliot (March 7, 1835 - December 22, 1915). Image URL: http://www.oiseaux.net/photos/daniel.giraud.elliot/lophophore.de.lhuys.1.html

The Chinese Monal, Lophophorus lhuysii is one of the most brilliant of all pheasant. The plumage is highly iridescent in color. Male has large drooping purple crest, metallic green head, blue bare skin around eyes, reddish gold mantle, bluish green feathers and black below. Female is dark brown with white on its throat.

Largest of the three monals, up to 80cm in length, the Chinese Monal is distributed and restricted to mountains of central China.

The scientific name commemorates the French statesman Edmond Drouyn de Lhuys.

Due to ongoing habitat loss and degradation, limited range and illegal hunting, the Chinese Monal is evaluated as Vulnerable on IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. It is listed on Appendix I of CITES.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_Monal

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