Identification of Tragopan pheasants using DNA analysis

BopCo uses DNA analyses to identify Tragopan pheasants and to detect interspecific hybridization. This is done to support the conservation efforts of Aviornis International vzw and the World Pheasant Association – Benelux, in the frame of the Tragopan focus group.

Beautiful birds under threat

Tragopan pheasants, often called “horned pheasants,” are a striking group of birds belonging to the genus Tragopan within the family Phasianidae. Native to the temperate forests of the Himalayas and parts of East and Southeast Asia, these medium-sized pheasants are renowned for their vivid plumage and elaborate courtship displays. Males are especially distinguished by their bright coloration and unique inflatable blue or orange lappets and horns, which they display dramatically during mating rituals to attract females.

Five species of tragopans are currently recognized, each adapted to montane habitats with dense undergrowth and bamboo thickets. Despite their beauty, several tragopan species face threats from habitat loss and hunting, making them important subjects of conservation efforts across their distribution range.

Identification of Tragopan pheasants using DNA analysis

Correctly identifying Tragopan species or distinguishing pure lineages from hybrids is often difficult based on morphology alone, especially in captivity, where artificial pairings may occur. Therefore, BopCo uses DNA-based methods, a combination of mitochondrial DNA sequencing and nuclear microsatellite analysis, to accurately identify the species and to detect interspecific hybridization in Tragopan pheasants.

Additionally, a co-ancestry matrix (or kinship matrix) is created using the nuclear microsatellite alleles, to quantify genetic relatedness among the sampled Tragopan individuals.

The importance of genetic profiling

For ex situ conservation programs, accurate genetic identification helps maintain species integrity, supports informed breeding management, and prevents the unintentional propagation of hybrids that could compromise the genetic value of captive populations. Ultimately, the application of molecular tools strengthens the role of captive breeding as a safeguard for threatened Tragopan species and as a potential source for future reintroduction efforts.

Furthermore, three of the five Tragopan species are protected by Appendix I of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), meaning that commercial trade is prohibited and that special certificates (e.g., export and import permits) are required. Hence, accurate species identification is essential to distinguish protected from non-protected tragopans.