15 replies to this topic

[Rocketman73]

I have a bird in my back yard that I cannot for the life of me figure out what type of bird it is, I believe it may be just a young bird. I will attach a picture I took this evening around 7:30, 7-8-2012. Thank you.

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[GreatHorn]

Looks like a Chukar, I believe an introduced bird

[Seattle]

Yup - they were introduced for hunting - upland game bird.

[Pat B.]

Chukar confirmed! Where are you? These were introduced from Asia a long time ago and are related to partridges. We have a breeding population here in Northern Utah on, at least, Antelope Island. Fun birds.

[Rocketman73]

Thank you for the replies. I am located just south of Harrisburg in south central PA. I have around 5 acres here, surrounded by housing developments. My house sits about in the middle of the plot with woods all around. I have Wild Turkeys, a few Grouse, plenty of Blue Jays, Robins, Mockingbirds,Wrens, Chickadees, Thrushes, Indigo Buntings, a flock of crows, and a gorgeous 18" tall Red Tailed Hawk that has been here about 7 years now. However I had never seen this Chukar before. Pretty looking markings but this bird is too brave for my wife. We can get to within 3 feet of the bird before it moves.

[creeker]

Wow Rocketman, sounds like an awesome place to live.

[psweet]

From your description and the location, it was probably recently released from a local hunting club.

[creeker]

From your description and the location, it was probably recently released from a local hunting club.

Wrong time of year for hunting. Maybe was someone's pet that they got tired of and let go in the nearest patch of woods.

[RyanWarnerPa]

It's from one of the local Beagal Hunting Clubs. I'm from south central Pa south of Harrisburg also and a neighbor finds these guys roosting in his backyard all the time. After some research he found that the local Beagal Hunting Dog Club is importing them.

[BarnSwallow]

Really? That's weird, because beagles are scent hounds - they trail game with their noses, baying the whole time. They're generally used on rabbits. I would think a bird would just fly away!

[RyanWarnerPa]

They use Beagles to help hunt Chukars because Chukars are known to fly long distances after being shot, so a sent dog can track down your kill a lot quicker then a sight dog.

[BarnSwallow]

Oh, OK, that makes more sense!

[RyanWarnerPa]

Yeah it does seem odd to hunt a bird with a blood hound. But, that's one of the reasons that people hunt Chukars. Not only do you use a pointer or sight dog to find them you also need a blood hound to find your kill. It's the challenge and the high skill level between handler and hound it takes to complete a successful hunt.

[dklucius]

out here in the west there had been a drastic decline is grouse and sage hens and partridges since the early 1900's when hunting was common for them.
many fish and game and wildlife groups and hunting clubs imported millions of them and spread them out on BLM and Forest Service lands to take the place of natives species then they beame popular around petting zoos and kids parks and golf courses and Bed and Breakfasts and now they are available from most of the commercial hatcherys that carry baby chicks and ducks and Geese Ect. and many landowners with small acerages keeping them for pets. when we still lived at the farm we kept guinias and chuckars and rare breeds of ducks and geese for pets and food. I had a electric incubater in the root cellar and hatched out untold numbers of both domestic birds and exotics just for fun and also to trade and swap. It is very common anymore to see escapees in many rural areas and even in the suburbs. they are great to keep down insects and to eat almost any kind of grass and weed seeds and most are tasty too.

[RyanWarnerPa]

I know there has been talk about trying to introduce a bird to replace the lack of Ring-Necked Pheasant's and other game birds here in Pa. I don't think the State Game Commission has found a bird that they are willing to introduce to the ecosystem yet, but I know they are/where looking at the Chukar. I'd really like to see them try to re-introduce the Ring-Neck.

[TheBillyPilgrim]

That's interesting that they are considering replacing a species that isn't even native in the first place!