At the Zoo
African Aviary
Fascinating facts
- The male Satyr tragopan has one of the most spectacular courtship displays in the bird world, using his vibrant, fleshy ornaments and rhythmic head bobs to display to females.
- A clutch of 3 – 5 eggs is laid in a nest made of twigs and sticks. Eggs are incubated for 28 days.
- Chicks are able to fly and perch after 2 or 3 days and stay with their mother for up to one year. Satyr tragopans are threatened by hunting, habitat loss and habitat degradation.
Physical characteristics
Length from beak to tail is approximately 2 feet; weight is between 3 – 5 pounds. Females are brown; males have a black head with a crimson neck and breast, and black and brown spotted feathers on its back. Males also have a brilliant blue “lappet” or bib-like wattle that hangs below the throat and is expanded during courtship rituals and two blue “horns” which raise above the eyes.
Habitat
Mixed damp oak and rhododendron forests at high altitudes.
Diet
They eat a variety of fruits, as well as seeds, flowers, buds, nuts and even coffee beans.
Social Behavior
Males perform elaborate courtship displays to attract females which includes beak
clacking, feather rustling, wing flapping and lappet inflating.
Status in the wild
IUCN – Near Threatened
Range
DID YOU KNOW?
Despite the male's elaborate courtship display, how do the females react?
African lion
VulnerableOne of the most iconic animals on Earth, the African lion is a symbol of strength, social intelligence, and wild Africa.
Blue duiker
Least ConcernAs the world's smallest antelope species, and smallest duiker, they play an important role in their forest ecosystem.
Aldabra tortoise
VulnerableAs one of the largest and longest-lived land tortoises in the world, some are known to have lived up to 170 years!
Toco toucan
Least ConcernKnown for their large, colorful bills and playful behavior, this is the largest of the toucan species.
