State Bird of Manipur

The Hume's Pheasant, Syrmaticus humiae, also known as Mrs Hume's Barredback Pheasant or bar-tailed pheasant is the state bird of Manipur. The breeding season of this greyish brown or purple head, with chestnut brown plumage state bird is between February to July and it is reported from many parts of Ukhrul district which borders with Nagaland’s Phek district and Myanmar’s Saigang division. Even though Nongin is a state bird, the visibility of the bird is very rare in the valley as it confines itself to its habited sites in hills. Currently there is only a pair of Nongin in the state zoological garden at Iroishemba near Imphal. The Hume's Pheasant, Syrmaticus humiae, also known as Mrs Hume's Barredback Pheasant or bar-tailed pheasant, is a large (male 90 cm and female 60 cm) and long-tailed forest pheasant. Although closely resembling Elliot's Pheasant , a male of this species has a grayish brown head, bare red facial skin round its eyes, yellowish bill, brownish orange iris,, glossy steel-blue feathers on its throat, neck and upper breast; deep chestnut-brown plumage on its abdomen and flanks, and three conspicuous white bars on the upper wings. Besides, it has black and chestnut bars all across its long tail in silvery-grey colour. The female is the chestnut brown bird with whitish throat, buff-colour belly and white-tipped tail.