The importance of integrating behavioural ecology into experimental design when censusing Himalayan Galliformes

Abstract

The Himalayan species of Galliformes are scantily studied, and their present status is not properly documented. Spring surveys conducted in some areas usually rely on dawn counting to estimate population abundance and distribution. In the upper Khumbu–Himal region of Sagarmatha National Park (Nepal), we conducted point count surveys of three high-altitude species: Himalayan monal, Blood pheasant and Tibetan snowcock. Our study area was between 3300 and 5000 m a.s.l, and it was characterised by subalpine and alpine vegetation. We recorded bird distribution in relation to altitude and habitats (forest, shrub and high-altitude grassland). Two different patterns emerged in the species studied: Tibetan snowcock and Blood pheasant counts gave optimal results at dawn. Contrarily, Himalayan monal counts at dawn were far less representative of species abundance than dusk counts. This implies the need to fully understand the behavioural ecology of a species before planning a field study for population estimates.