Kalij pheasants are distributed around the foothills of the Himalayas, in countries including India, Nepal, Bhutan and Myanmar. In our country, these are concentrated in the North-eastern states.
The Kalij is a close relative of the silver pheasant. They are neither too big nor too small in size.
The males among them would typically weigh about one kilogramme and are around 60 to 75 cm long. They are mostly black in colour and have arched tail feathers.
The females, on the other hand are slightly brownish. But both the males and females have grey legs and red faces. They eat roots, seeds, insects, etc.
Although they are generally shy, they emerge out from their habitat of evergreen and deciduous forests in the mornings and evenings.
This pheasant consumes and then disperses, seeds of plants which grow and spread quickly in vast areas disturbing the balance of the ecosystem. Kalij pheasants are therefore, considered an invasive species in Hawaii.