The Tibetan snowcock is a bird in the pheasant family Phasianidae of the order Galliformes, gallinaceous birds. This species is found in high-altitude regions of the Western Himalayas and the Tibetan Plateau, where it overlaps in part with the larger Himalayan snowcock. The head is greyish and there is a white crescent patch behind the eye and underside is white with black stripes. In flight the secondaries show a broad white trailing edge.
Region
Tibetan Plateau and Western Himalayas
Typical Environment
Occurs across the Tibetan Plateau and adjacent high ranges of western China, Nepal, India, and Bhutan. It inhabits open alpine meadows, scree slopes, and rocky ridgelines above the treeline, often near the snowline. The species favors areas with scattered shrubs such as juniper and rhododendron for cover and nearby open ground for foraging. Nests are simple scrapes tucked among rocks or vegetation. It is largely sedentary but may shift elevation locally with snow and season.
Altitude Range
3800–5600 m
Climate Zone
Highland
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 1/5
The Tibetan snowcock is a high-altitude gamebird of the pheasant family, adapted to cold, windswept slopes above the treeline. It often forms small coveys outside the breeding season and explodes into flight with loud wingbeats, then glides downslope. Its far-carrying, whistled calls are a hallmark of alpine dawn soundscapes. It overlaps with the larger Himalayan snowcock but is generally smaller and shows distinctive facial crescents and bold flank barring.
Tibetan Snowcock in Zingral Transit Check Post, Leh, Ladakh
Tibetan Snowcock at Luza, Sagarmatha National Park, Nepal
Illustration from Hume and Marshall, Gamebirds of India, Burma and Ceylon
A foraging group in Ladakh
Temperament
wary and alert
Flight Pattern
short rapid wingbeats followed by gliding
Social Behavior
Outside the breeding season it gathers in small coveys that forage and roost together on open slopes. During spring, pairs form and defend loose territories; the nest is a shallow ground scrape lined with vegetation among rocks. Broods are precocial and move with adults soon after hatching, relying on camouflage and terrain for safety.
Migratory Pattern
Resident
Song Description
Gives loud, far-carrying whistled calls at dawn and dusk, often a series of clear, rising notes. Alarm calls are harsher cackles or clucks given during explosive takeoff.
Plumage
Overall grey-brown upperparts with fine barring, pale grey head, and boldly barred black-and-white flanks contrasting with whitish underparts. The flight feathers show a broad white trailing edge visible in flight. The throat and upper breast are pale, with darker scapular and mantle streaking.
Diet
Feeds primarily on alpine plant matter including shoots, leaves, flower heads, seeds, bulbs, and roots. It supplements this with insects and other invertebrates, especially in the breeding season for growing chicks. Foraging is mostly by walking and pecking, occasionally scratching among gravel or turf. Seasonal diets track the availability of fresh green growth and seeds.
Preferred Environment
Open alpine meadows, talus, and sparsely vegetated slopes near rocky cover. Often forages along ecotones where short turf meets scattered shrubs or boulder fields.
