Yesterday evening I was excited to see this beautiful cock pheasant stroll across the road and through my front garden, looking like he knew exactly where he was going. I used to see pheasants in winter all the time under my bird feeders, but I haven't seen one for years, not since the cornfields began to disappear as suburbia encroaches.
Ring-necked pheasants were imported from China to the United States in 1881 and released in Minnesota in 1916. They are big -- 20-36 inches long including the tail, and brightly colored. We often see them in cornfields, especially in the winter, and also eating grit at the side of the road.
My dad and grandpa went pheasant hunting one fall and bagged their first pheasant when it crashed through the windshield and wound up in my dad's lap along with a lot of glass. Didn't even need to use their guns!
I think this guy is going to visit a lady.
This morning at the coffee shop these two waited outside for their owner to return. It seemed a little cool to me (40sF) for traveling with the top down, but Minnesotans are so impatient for spring to get going, it's hard to wait.
I hope you are enjoying some beautiful signs of spring where you live if you are a resident of the northern hemisphere.
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From those photos, all is looking pretty bloody good in Minnesota.
ReplyDeleteSmart looking pheasant and pretty sure of himself that it is not
open season on pheasants!
Thanks also for the historical aspect. I certainly had no idea
that pheasants were imported from China. I was under the
unfortunate delusion that pheasants were native to the
northern American continent.
We don't have pheasants here in Australia - only the Zoo ones.
Cheers
Colin
Well Huggy Bear, I didn't know you don't have pheasants in Oz - we have them here in NZ. That's a great hunting story Cynthia - I bet the men got a lot of mileage from that.
ReplyDeletePossibly because your English immigrants, NZ, not ever being a penal (Dumping Ground) for convicts, brought them out to remind
Deleteyour immigrants of pheasants hunting in good ole Pommy Land????
Then of course NZ may have a native type pheasant????
I dunno. I suppose that some of our Zoo ones may have escaped and exist in the countryside.
Lyre birds are a member of the pheasant family and they are native to Australia, but they are decidedly
a protected species. God wouldn't be able to help anyone caught shooting lyre birds!
I even from a rural upbringing have never sighted a lyre bird in the wild, only at zoos!!!
Seen their strange nests but never a bird.
Anyhow thanks to Cynthia we have learnt of this Chinese "import".
Cheers
Colin
Pheasants can be pretty cocky as they stroll around. We seldom see pheasants in central Alberta.
ReplyDeleteLooks a cocky pheasant on a mission.
ReplyDeleteThe dogs in the vehicle, how cute......
I would love to see a pheasant strolling around. While we have been in New Zealand, it has been lovely to see wild turkeys everywhere. I don't see that in Australia!
ReplyDeleteJanice
ReplyDeleteI don't know where you live now in Brisbane but I live in Albion - 10 minutes from the CBD and we have Bush Turkeys here roaming around
from the Breakfast Tree Creek - not often but every now and then!!!!!! ??????
Thankfully bush turkeys ( sometimes called Brush turkeys) can fly so dogs are no problem.
Colin
I live in Everton Park and we have lots of bush turkeys strutting around and digging up my garden beds. Kedron Brook and bush is nearby.
DeleteYes Maria - You have my sympathy with the bush turkeys re-organising your garden beds!
DeleteThey have amazing power in those two bloody legs of theirs!
I have also spotted them in that park land along the creek that runs past Toombul Shopping centre when
travelling on the train.
I think that Creek is called Kedron Brook????
Just looked at a map of the area - it certainly looks like this brook/creek or in dry times a collection of water
holes runs through the CBD side of Toombul.
Cheers
Colin
They have such an arrogant air as they sturt around. The male is so beautiful. I wonder if he was looking for a mate.
ReplyDeleteLove the photos Cynthia...especially the beautiful dogs waiting in the car :-)
ReplyDeleteThat story about your parents going out hunting made my day LOL. The dogs waiting in the car are very at ease in their beautiful cabrio.
ReplyDeletePheasants, so pretty, but so stupid, at times they make driving very adventurous.
ReplyDeleteCynthia your pheasants are bigger than ours. I love the photo with dogs
ReplyDeleteI haven't seen a pheasant in a while. If I am in the countryside and spot one, I tend to stop and watch a while - until it disappears into a field. Great photo.
ReplyDeleteWe have a few in this area but I haven't snagged a photo yet! They are a beautiful bird, your Dads hunting experience is scary....but easy on ammunition.
ReplyDeleteI've never seen a pheasant and did not know they were that big. I can't imagine one coming through the windshield!
ReplyDeleteSaw your link on Connies (Far Side) blog. Always nice to meet another Minnesotan & fellow retired teacher at that.....:)
ReplyDeleteThat's an interesting fact about imported pheasants. I've learned something new. Thanks to you.
ReplyDeleteWe're having early signs of spring too. And sone people are way too impatient too. I saw someone this morning walkibg passed our window wearing shorts ans sneaker. Brrrhhh I don't know what was in his head. It's still cold, not minus but chilly for shorts.