I received an Instant Message from one of my listeners this morning. A
wonderful, presumed escapee has been sitting on a truck for several days in
Brookhaven during this last week- an immature male Ring-necked Pheasant. I
make the presumed ID because I have seen thousands, though admittedly as a
pre-birding pre-teen growing up in Biloxi. Our next door neighbor raised some
125,000 quail and 7,000 pheasants each year and sold them to the restaurant
industry. When Camille hit in 1969, they all escaped. The quail hunting was
great in that area for a number of years, or so I understand.
This brings up a question in my mind. Does anyone have any idea if pheasants
are still breeding in the coastal counties? My last sighting was of an adult
male at least 15 or more years ago in the coastal savanna of Mississippi, near
Gautier. I do not know whether that particular bird was an escapee or not,
though.
BTW, I'll post the pic on the Southern Birding Facebook page when I can, just
for ID confirmation.
Ken Hackman
Sent from my iPhone
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