Conservation often focuses on charismatic animals like large carnivores, while many ecologically important species receive little attention. Here we focus on ground-dwelling birds (Galliformes) that are common in the high-altitude Indian Himalayas but overlooked in snow leopard-centered planning. Using camera-trap surveys across 26,000 km², we examined which environmental factors influence their occurrence, identified areas with high species diversity and unique species, and assessed protected area coverage. We found that vegetation cover and seasonal temperature changes strongly shape their distribution. Most high-diversity and unique-species areas fall outside existing protected areas. The transition zone between the Greater and Trans-Himalaya is especially important for these birds, many of which live in landscapes managed primarily for snow leopards. Our findings highlight the need to look beyond single flagship species to better protect mountain ecosystems.