Jakarta Struts Cookbook

Colophon

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The animal on the cover of Jakarta Struts Cookbook is a tragopan. Tragopans, or horned pheasants, are found along the Himalayas from Kashmir to central and southeastern China. Male tragopans are among the world’s most spectacular birds because of their brilliant array of colors and spots, long crown feathers, and blue crests. In villages near the Great Himalayan National Park, the western tragopan has earned the local name Jujurana, or “the king of the birds.” There, legend has it that when this pheasant was created, every bird in the universe donated a feather to give it color and unparalleled beauty. Female tragopans, on the other hand, are rather dull looking. Even breeders sometimes find it difficult to distinguish hens of one species from those of another.

Tragopans feed on insects, leaves, sprouts, and seeds, and are thought to be monogamous. Although incubation is done entirely by the female, the male may assist in tending the chicks. Most tragopans are good breeders in captivity, adapting well to various cold-weather climates and becoming quite tame.

There are five species of tragopans, four of which are in danger of extinction due to the destruction of their habitats. Unlike most fowl, tragopans live at very high elevations ...