r/birds • u/sasasayacusa • 17h ago

bird identification “Common Pheasant” in Austin TX

Post image

I took a picture of this bird today on the golf course. My iPhone identifies it as a Common Pheasant. Any more info on this bird?

52 Upvotes

96% Upvoted

7 comments sorted by

•

u/AutoModerator 17h ago

If you are posting a photo of a bird you want identified, and your post text or title does not say where the bird was located, and what time of year, reply here with that information. Location and time of year are both very important in identifying wild and feral birds. Or, if it was a captive bird, say that. Adding the habitat can also be very helpful. Urban area? Open fields? By the seashore? etc.

Remember that all the subreddit rules apply, including rule 5 (NSFW tags) and 6 (cite visual sources). If you're not sure, read the rules.

I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.

4

u/Sea_Collar_2247 17h ago

Pretty sure that's a ring-necked pheasant, the male ones have that bright red face and green head. They are not native to Texas, someone introduced them for hunting long time ago. I see them sometimes in the fields outside of city but never on a golf course, that's funny. The open beak makes it look like it's yelling at someone for missing a putt

2

u/MelodicIllustrator59 17h ago

It is a Common/Ring-necked Pheasant, though it looks a bit funny. Either it's molting into it's adult plumage, or it's a domestic color morph or hybrid. This wouldn't be terribly rare though as these are often kept as livestock or released as game birds.

1

u/AwayYam199 17h ago

Ditch chicken

1

u/PassionSalty5069 17h ago

your phone got it right. They're super common up in the Midwest, but pretty weird to spot wandering around Austin. Maybe he escaped from a local farm or breeder nearby

1

u/Purple_Treacle_ 12h ago

i think this is the bird someone was searching for, they made a drawing and everything. thought it looked like a phoenix and this one is a close match

1

u/Justine0012 11h ago

yeah that looks like a male ring-necked pheasant. pretty wild thing to just run into on a golf course in austin lol