The
koklass (
Pucrasia macrolopha) is a
superspecies of
Galliform, being closely related to progenitive
grouse that lived during the
Miocene. They are more distantly related to
pheasants. Koklass are
only species in the genus
Pucrasia. Both the words
koklass and
pucrasia have been onomatopœically derived from the bird's territorial call. Koklass are boreal adapted species which separate into three distinct species groups. They are one of the few galliforms that regularly fly uphill and are capable of sustained flights of many miles. They are monogamous with a slight tendency toward social
polyandry. Both parents rear the chicks. Koklass are largely vegetarian for much of the year consuming pine nuts, pine shoots, bamboo shoots and seeds. They are highly insectivorous during the warmer months that coincide with nesting and chick-rearing. During this phase of their life cycle they live almost exclusively on ants but also are documented consuming
catkins,
pollen and fruit. Koklass pheasant is a
monotypic species of genus
Pucrasia with nine
subspecies recognised so far. These are:
- Indian koklass pheasant (P. m. macrolopha),
- Western koklass pheasant (P. m. castanea),
- Kashmir koklass pheasant (P. m. biddulphi),
- Nepal koklass pheasant (P. m. nipalensis),
- Meyer’s koklass pheasant (P. m. meyeri),
- Orange-collared koklass pheasant (P. m. rufficollis),
- Yellow-necked koklass pheasant (P. m. xanthospila),
- Joret’s koklass pheasant (P. m. jorentiana) and
- Darwin’s koklass pheasant (P. m. darwini).
