Galliformes, commonly referred to as ‘gallinaceous birds’ or ‘game birds’, is a large and diverse group of
birds that comprises of 70 genera and 284 species, while 45 species of galliformes are known from India.
Meanwhile proper record of Galliformes is not available in the state of Mizoram. Therefore a preliminary
survey on galliformes was conducted from September 2012 - December 2013 in Mizoram with the aim to
provide reliable information on their diversity, distribution range and their conservation issues in the
tropical hilly state. The state of Mizoram, located in northeast India, is sandwiched by two international
borders, viz. Bangladesh from the west and Myanmar from the east and south. It lies in the Indo-Myanmar
Biodiversity Hotspot Area. In order to know the species composition and distribution, information was
collected by field survey at important protected areas and secondary information from 245 villages
covering all the eight districts. Analysis of secondary information and field survey data indicated that 10
species of Galliformes are present in Mizoram. Out of these, 6 species are Pheasants and other 4 species
of Partridge. Among them are one endangered species (Pavo muticus), one vulnerable species (Tragopan
blythii) and two near-threatened species (Syrmaticus humiae and Arborophila atrogularis). The four
threatened species of Galliformes are patchily distributed in the higher altitudinal region on the eastern
side of the state, bordering Myanmar. The other lower risk categories (Arborophila rufogularis,
Arborophila torqueola, Bambusicola fytchii, Lophura leucomelanos, Polyplectron bicalcaratum and
Gallus gallus) are found to be common and sparsely distributed all through the state. Anthropogenic
pressures like habitat destruction due to shifting cultivation, logging, forest fire, deforestation, poaching
and hunting, extraction of forest resources, tourism activities and lack of awareness are the main cause of
rapid decline in galliformes population in Mizoram. Thereby appropriate conservation measures are
discussed.