Chukar in New Jersey (AND Update with Photo!)
Hi all,
Wow! Reader Brenda in N.J. just blew us out of the water with her recent sighting of a chukar...
Forgive the "slightly-less-than-perfect" picture above, but the public-domain drawing by Mr. Wilson speaks volumes... Is that wild or what? (With a little luck, Brenda or
others can take pictures and attach them to emails directed to: capecodalan@ebirdseed.com. We want to see these rascals and others!!!)
A chukar in N.J.? Cool...
Alectoris chukar is a type of pheasant that normally inhabits Europe and Asia. It was brought to America as a game bird, and has taken hold in California, Nevada, Utah, and as far north as Washington state. Because it is a prized (and hardy) game and table bird, hunters frequently trap and move the "quarry"... Its appearance in New Jersey shouldn't be all that impossible. Its a rough world for birds.
For more information about this bird, (easily confused with the Red-legged Partridge by the way...) check the sites below as well as Chukar site in the Cornell Lab of Ornithology.
Thanks to Brenda!!!
(Who knows what we'll see by the feeders next!)
CapeCodAlan
Keep those comments coming!
UPDATE! Brenda sent us the following photo she snapped... Amazing, and thanks again!
Wow! Reader Brenda in N.J. just blew us out of the water with her recent sighting of a chukar...
A chukar in N.J.? Cool...
Alectoris chukar is a type of pheasant that normally inhabits Europe and Asia. It was brought to America as a game bird, and has taken hold in California, Nevada, Utah, and as far north as Washington state. Because it is a prized (and hardy) game and table bird, hunters frequently trap and move the "quarry"... Its appearance in New Jersey shouldn't be all that impossible. Its a rough world for birds.
For more information about this bird, (easily confused with the Red-legged Partridge by the way...) check the sites below as well as Chukar site in the Cornell Lab of Ornithology.
- Cornell Lab of Ornithology
- Wikipedia
- Audubon Society
- U.S. Geological Survey
- The National Audubon Society’s “The Sibley Guide to Birds”
- ”Birds Of North America” published by Golden
- ”Birds of New England” from Smithsonian Handbooks
Thanks to Brenda!!!
(Who knows what we'll see by the feeders next!)
CapeCodAlan
Keep those comments coming!
UPDATE! Brenda sent us the following photo she snapped... Amazing, and thanks again!