Ring-Necked Pheasant

We keep our favorite bird book (Birds of the Willamette Valley Region), a pair of binoculars, and a bird list in the playroom.  This morning, Jubilee spotted this lovely creature in the wooded area near the ducks.  I was so excited to see him.  I can't even remember a time that I saw a pheasant in the wild.  We learned in our bird book that the Ring-necked pheasants are from China and were first introduced (successfully) to the wild in the United States right here in the Willamette Valley in 1882.  It was fun to see the children so enthusiastic - looking up information, writing on our bird list, getting out their cameras.  Brighton was pheasant crazy all morning and kept checking on him, put out some corn for him, and talked a blue streak about all things pheasant (though he kept calling him either a peacock or a phoenix LOL).  I switched the lenses on my camera to a telephoto and then tried to get some pictures.  He was sure fast!  He disappeared in the early afternoon and thought he was gone but when we got home from running errands this evening, he was back.  I hope he stays!!!  My mom told me that when they first moved here, there were pheasants all over the place and now they never see them.  I wouldn't mind raising and releasing pheasants (but a few must promise to live here).






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