A pheasant of high Himalayan forests. Males have vivid red plumage and blue facial lappets, and the birds move up and down the mountains with the seasons.
Males have a red body, blue lappets and horn-like projections; females are brown and less conspicuous.
Satyr Tragopans move through mountain forests mainly on foot, interspersing walking with short bouts of running or flight and rests on slopes. Some journeys cross several mountains rather than simply descending one slope.
Tracking data from 24 birds in Bhutan’s Thrumshingla National Park in 2009–2011 identified 14 migrants and ten residents. Seven migrants crossed multiple mountains, five descended along slopes and two moved higher for winter.
Migration was not one continuous flight. Birds advanced mostly by walking, resting on slopes during journeys lasting several days. Winter destinations and routes differed among individuals.
An extinction-risk assessment has not been added yet.
The researchers recommend protecting extensive, continuous forests that allow movement between mountains as well as elevations. Seasonal changes in forest use and individual differences in direction support conserving a variety of forest types and slope aspects.