The Cabot’s tragopan Tragopan caboti
The Cabot’s tragopan is endemic to South-East China, where it is found from the northeast of Guangxi to the north of Guangdong, southeast of Hunan, northwest of Fujian, and south of Zhejiang. The population of this species is highly fragmented, and these birds can only be found in isolated, virgin evergreen and mixed forests. During winter, Cabot’s tragopans are seen at elevations of 800 to 1,000 m above sea level, while in summer they occur at elevations of up to 1,400 m. Cabot’s tragopan primarily forages on the forest floor for ferns, roots of herbaceous plants, stems, and seeds of some plants. Leaves and fruit of Daphniphyllum macropodum are a particularly favoured food. Breeding season begins in March. At the first stages of breeding season, a male mates with one female and stays close to her. After the female starts brooding, the male joins other males or mates with another female. There are usually 3 to 5 eggs in the clutch. The female alone raises her offspring.
