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Can you help me identify this bird?

Seen in Western PA.

Well no one else has helped you with this guy - so let me be the first one to guess wrong!  Perhaps its a grouse - spruce grouse maybe.  It's just a guess - sorry I can't be of better help.

looks like the guineafowl i chased on my aunt's farm when i was a kid. i think they originate overseas. 

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"A bird does not sing because it has an answer. It sings because it has a song."
--Chinese Proverb

I don't know, guys...isn't the red on the spruce grouse just on the tail tip?  The head does kinda look like on though and seems like guiena fowls tails aren't that long, so I'm not sure what this is.  Maybe some type of domesticated fowl.  Did you see it out in the wild or on a farm?

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Matthew 6:26
James 1:2-5

We live in the country but there are no working farms nearby.  It has been coming to our feeder for quite awhile but always by itself.  I'm thinking it may be a handraised bird that has escaped from their owner since it doesn't seem to be real afraid of us.  It doesn't fly that we know of just walks away from us when we come near.  It doesn't seem to have a partner or flock to belong to. I don't think it has been a part of a game commission stocking since there are no others like it in this area.

It is about the size of a duck.

My husband has been a game hunter in the past and does not recognize it.  

I feel sorry for it that it does not have a partner.

 If we knew what it was we might be able to get a few others to make a flock.  It seems to be thriving in this area even though it is alone.

Believe or not "It Sort of Looks Like" a grouse species from central and eastern Himalayas known as a Satyr Tragopan or Crimson-horned Pheasant.  If this is not the exact one, I bet it is closely related.

There has to be a serious collector of domesticated birds in your area or a zoo or some commerical enterprise.  This is not your run-of-mill barnyard bird. 

 

p.s.  Send your pictures to some Commerical Gamefarms and ask them for help in ID'ing it.

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http://whatbird.com/forums/photos/birdman/

Does the Spruce Grouse have rufous coloring?

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"Watch the birdie."

I believe it is some kind of pheasant looks to be a hen

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Birds high above in the trees Serenade the flowers with their melodies - Line from the song "A Lovers Concerto"

Some have more, but it also has a short square tail with sort of a reddish tip.

The picture in question is not a native grouse in my opinion, but as suggsted in my previous Reply.

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http://whatbird.com/forums/photos/birdman/

This is some kind of domestic Pheasant or such.

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-Raptor

A true expert knows when to say "I don't know".

Not sure where in Western PA that you saw these birds but thought that you would be interested to know of just some of the Commercial Operations in PA that sell birds and specifically mention pheasants.  You probably could call and arrange a way to send them a photo to get an ID.  Let us know what you find out.  This has become an interesting investigation.

Clearview Stock Farm & Hatchery
David Hartman
PO Box 399
Gratz, PA 17030
717-365-3234

Cross Keys Pheasantry
115 List Hill Road
Valencia, PA 16059
724-898-9600

 Hoffman Hatchery, Inc.
P. O. Box 129
Gratz, PA 17030
7l7-365-3694
http://www.hoffmanhatchery.com/

Email: info@hoffmanhatchery.com

 

 

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http://whatbird.com/forums/photos/birdman/

Sure looks like a Swinhoe (Swinhoe's) Pheasant hen. An escapee likely. They are native to Asia.

Google some images of the hen and see if you agree. Here's one image:

http://www.birdingintaiwan.com/Swinhoe%27s%20Pheasant,%20female.JPG

 

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Sony DSLR A200 camera. Sigma 400mm APO prime lens, Sony 55-200mm lens, Sony 18-70mm lens, Kenko 1.5X teleconverter.

Good job and you just beat me to it. 

I decided to give it one more try and phrase a query differently to include PA.  What came up had nothing to do with PA but did lead to this Site which for some reason Whatabird won't let me Post the picture.  But go to http://www.gbwf.org/pheasants/swinhoe.html and you can see see not only the hen but the rooster too.

I looked a little deeper in PA's bird commerce and found that the Swinhoe's is advertised for sale in Montrose, PA.; Lewistown, PA, and another one at a 570 Area Code.  There are many more location throughout the States selling these birds.

The Swinhoe's Pheasant is found in the mountains of Central Taiwan and is also known as the Formosan Pheasant and Blue Pheasant.

 

 

 

 

 

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