Looking for the danphe on the Mardi ridge

The Himalayan monal, danphe in Nepali, is Nepal's national bird, and the male is spectacular: plumage that flashes metallic green, purple, copper and blue in the sun. Monals live where high forest meets open slope, digging for roots and insects, which is exactly the habitat of the Mardi ridge above Low Camp.

Go out early with your guide, binoculars ready, and walk slowly along the forest edge or scan the slopes below the ridge. Monals often call before you see them, a whistling cry, and flush with a clatter when disturbed. You may also see laughingthrushes in the rhododendrons, rosefinches on the grass and lammergeiers or griffons on the wind.

Sightings are never guaranteed. Keep a respectful distance, do not chase or flush birds deliberately, and stay on the trail. Spring, when birds are more vocal, and late autumn are good times. Combine birding with the walk between camps rather than making it a separate outing.