snowcock

snowcock (SNOH-kok) - n., any of five species (genus Tetraogallus) of pheasants native to the mountains of central Asia.



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Each species is from a different range of mountains, and they all live above the tree-line. In addition to the Tibetan snowcock above, there are Altai, Himalayan, Caucasian, and Caspian snowcocks. Snow of the name is because, well, there's often snow above the tree-line, and cock in the sense of a gallinaceous bird (especially a male). I still snigger.

---L.