Maryland Prairie Chicken

Antarctica · Mar 31, 2015

Two saturdays ago (March 21) my wife and I headed across the Bay Bridge to spend the day driving around Blackwater. About a mile after turning off 50, heading south, on 16 I think it was, I spotted this guy off the side of the road. Never seen one before in Maryland. The pic was taken with an iPhone through a pair of binoculars, so its not the greatest, but its what I had at the moment.

What do ya'll think? Game farm survivor? Wild?

Brent

On Edit: And yes, before I get called out.. I know its a pheasant and not really a prairie chicken!

remodeler1 · Mar 31, 2015

Remodeler1

Pheasant were common in the MT Airy area in the 70's & early 80's. Haven't seen one here in many years.

Objee · Mar 31, 2015

Nice find!

I used to see them all the time on the outskirts of Columbia on Guilford near WR Grace, long before the Rt 32 extension was built. I think there was an old game reserve there at the time.

Uncle Duke · Mar 31, 2015

Call the Smithsonian! THERE'S BEEN AN ESCAPE!

DAMN it was fun when these birds were around!

Mr H · Mar 31, 2015

Yep... Ring-necked Pheasant. Pretty common still, but nowhere near what they used to be.

Overboost44 · Mar 31, 2015

I have seen far less pheasants over the past 5,10 or 20 years than Bald Eagles. Maybe we should claim them protected

Serioulsly though, I would love to see them come back.

Antarctica · Mar 31, 2015

+1 on the Bald eagles. I've got them hanging around my house all the time. This weekend I saw a juvenile getting harassed by a hawk (just like crows do to hawks), which I've never seen.

Brent

Doctor_M · Mar 31, 2015

Yummy... a bird to have with my snow coffee!! I miss pheasant hunting... used to be all over Carroll County, I have seen one in 6 or 7 years.

John from MD · Mar 31, 2015

Considering the area you were in at the time, I think it is a escapee from a shooting preserve.

While I see many wild turkeys during my travels in MD, I never see Pheasant unless there is a game farm nearby.

John

Inigoes · Mar 31, 2015

The change in farming technology has killed more pheasants.

The old style bar cutters would allow the nesting pheasants to jump over them. Combines, tend to suck them up

wilcam47 · Mar 31, 2015

Cool Pic

We have some here...I cant bring myself to shoot them since they are so few and far between. Coyotes and hawks etc get them quite a bit here so thats my reasoning why I dont shoot them..

Mooseman · Mar 31, 2015

It has been a while since I have seen any around here. I once hit on with my car.

Maverick0313 · Mar 31, 2015

Objee said:
Nice find!

I used to see them all the time on the outskirts of Columbia on Guilford near WR Grace, long before the Rt 32 extension was built. I think there was an old game reserve there at the time.

Yep...I remember that. Thanks for calling it out!

SHMEEB · Mar 31, 2015

Coolest pheasant I know

Jed195 · Mar 31, 2015

I occasionally have Pheasant and wild turkey in my front and back yard. I almost snuck back in the house to get a shotgun when I saw the Pheasant, one shot around my neck o the woods isn't uncommon now and then. :innocent0

Antarctica · Mar 31, 2015

Where at in MD roughly?

Brent

montoya32 · Mar 31, 2015

I recall a thread here that mentioned the breeding and release of them in MD. I forget what area, but someone here was involved, I think.

Antarctica · Mar 31, 2015

Yes I've considered that too, and recall the thread. It cited some western state that had a program where people were given chicks to raise and release.

I've wondered how it would work near me - mixed suburban, but interspersed with farm holdings. About 60 acres bordering me of good pheasant habitat that might give them a foothold. Already regularly have turkey there off and on throughout the year. Fox cycle seems low right now too.

I could put these few chickens I have that are done laying in the pot and switch over to pheasant. Hear they are a nasty bird to raise though..

Brent

j_h_smith · Mar 31, 2015

There is a game farm somewhere down in that area. They do stock pheasant, so maybe a lucky bird who got away.

John from MD · Mar 31, 2015

I was told by Pheasants Forever that there is something in the Maryland soil that keeps the egg shells from hardening so you don't have a high enough survival rate to survive.

That was back in the '80's.

John

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