Thanks for all the responses. I think I may have solved this mystery. Probably not as exotic as I had hoped, but I've become to believe that this is a young, possibly escaped from captivity, Ring Necked Pheasant, or other similarly sized and colored game bird, that stuck his beak into something that it should not have. The strange pumpkin orange appendage on his face is probably discarded trash that someone left behind at the lake or along the road. It must of gotten stuck around his face like a collar of sorts. So sad. I haven't seen it today, but the snow is melting rather fast, especially on the south and west field. If I see it again, I will try to lure it into a cage or live trap with some corn. If my suspicions are correct, and if I can catch it, I'll run it up to the Evergreen Wildlife Rescue and get it some help.
Pauli Smith Subject: [cobirds] Mystery Bird help Identify? OK, I have a mystery bird for all of you. It has been hanging out around my alfalfa field at least since yesterday. I've gotten a pretty good look at it, but while it seems rather unafraid, as long as I don't get too close, it is also very camera shy as it disappears every time I head out with a camera. Never have seen anything like it around here before. At first glance, and from a distance, I thought it was a female Ring Necked Pheasant. However, the tail is much shorter, and while about the same size, the body is rounder. What is really unusual is that it has bright, pumpkin orange cheeks and strangest yet, this bright pumpkin orange thingy - I swear it is shaped like a large pretzel sitting just behind, but above its normal colored beak. The bird's color is very similar to that of a female Ring Necked, kind of a drab brown. Closest bird I can find that even remotely resembles it, is a male Greater Prairie-Chicken, but that isn't quite right when it comes to whatever that is on its head. Of course the pictures are not that clear, but the two holes in the pretzel shape appendage on this bird is very distinct and rather large. My other thought is that it might be some kind of exotic game bird that escaped from the gun club up the road, we occasionally get Chukar's, but this isn't one of them. It might also be someone's escaped exotic chicken in a breed I've never seen before. Anyone have any ideas as to what it is? I'll keep trying to get a photo, especially of its head and face. Pauli Smith Highlandlake/Mead area, Weld County -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Colorado Birds" group. To post to this group, send email to cobirds@googlegroups.com. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to cobirds+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/cobirds?hl=en.
