Male Himalayan monal in Sagarmāthā National Park, Nepal

Male Himalayan monal in Sagarmāthā National Park, Nepal

New York Fashion Week? Pshaw! Haute couture has nothing on Mother Nature. Check out the iridescent plumage of the male Himalayan monal, a pheasant that prefers to catch a female monal’s attention by looking as flashy as possible, right down to the peacock-like crest above the eyes. You’ll find these birds across the Himalayas, foraging even in snow with their tough beaks, digging for roots and tubers or snapping up grubs.