Bhutan is home to some of the world’s most spectacular pheasants, and the Himalayan Monal is one that stands out on top. The male, decked out in an iridescent rainbow of colors on top contrasting with stark black underparts, is really quite a sight, easily standing out among the subtle colors of the hill forest of the Himalayas. Females are soft streaky brown overall with a noticeable white throat and a light blue eye patch. Both males and females have a short, upturned crest. Like many pheasants, while they can fly, they are most often seen on the ground and prefer to walk from place to place through the high-altitude forests, scrublands, and alpine meadows at elevations between 2100-4500 m. The Himalayan Monal is the national bird of Bhutan’s neighbor country, Nepal, yet stands out like no other in Bhutan.