another bird ID please????

[Nicos]

I know some of you know loads about birds- and just wondered if any of you can help me out????

I have managed one photo- but it was a waste of time to be honest- so can you see what you can manage without one???

OK- so it looks a bit like a female pheasant- almost identical colouring, but longer legs and neck and thicker tail, and quite a bit larger .
When disturbed it runs- stretching it's neck high- I've not seen it fly.
It's been around for the past couple of days and it's on it's own.

I've Googled to my hearts content and the nearest I can come up with is a Bustard.

This is the nearest picture I can find-
http://www.surfbirds.com/media/Photos/Houbaram.jpg

But- it's all brown.( body and tail shape perfect, but maybe my bird has a slightly shorter neck?)

It's even been sitting in the road, so I don't know if it's exhausted and got lost on some migration. It's certainly a fast runner when it wants to go!.
Feet don't look webbed ( driving glasses in car to focus properly!!!)

So- what do ya think????

[pigletwillie]

How big is it?

[Nicos]

Large duck/small goose size!

Runs with it's neck stretched up rather than out forwards- big strides


...you lost one??????

[digthatchick]

Hi Nicos
The pic you put up was a Houbara Bustard, I think you saw a Great Bustard

[Birdie Wife]

Hi Nicos - is the bird in France or Cheshire?

[Nicos]

Hmmm...the shape and size is certainly right- I'm sure this one was all brown speckled- although maybe in the wintery sun....

Résultats Google Recherche d'images correspondant à http://www.arkive.org/media/B5B59E0B-4F0A-4579-9856-C565F74FF115/Presentation.Large/photo.jpg

These look pretty close.

Are they rare ( that is until someone shoots it???)?

[Nicos]

Northern France BW

[Nicos]

Are they rare ( that is until someone shoots it???)?

ooo....heck (if it is one) it says it's 'vunerable'...well it certainly will be at weekend!

[smallblueplanet]

This link has a couple of French bird groups listed for Normandy (but I'm not sure its the right bit?)?

birding facts Birding Resources by the Fat Birder

Groupe Ornithologique Normand

LPO Basse-Normandie

If its rare they might be interested in it?

[lynda66]

lol, i was at the doctors yesterday, reading about some incredibly rare bird that had been blown over from america on migration, loads of people set off to see it ....... then before anyone could get a photo ........ it got squashed by a car

[Nicos]

SBP- nice links! Thanks

This is the area we are in...

Map of Suisse Normande

If you go to the home page- you'll see more about the area ( it's a bit like a small version of the Lake District but with river valleys instead!)

[smallblueplanet]

Looks very pleasant indeed Nicos.

[Nicos]

Ha! thanks!..it's much more beautiful than the site shows it to be....perhaps I should offer my services to the Tourist Board!!!...I KNOW I could create something better than that!


Anyway- back to the bird- I did wonder if it was a migratory bird en route somewhere as it was on its own. Not seen it today- hope it's OK- there are foxes here

[burnie]

Little Bustard do visit France and breed in the summer.Great Bustard are in some parts of europe and it could be a migrant,but they are one of the most shy and sensative birds in the area.Houbara are unheard of this far north at this time of year.To give you an idea of scale,a great bustard is nearly twice the size of a canada goose,little bustard is similar in size to a widgeon.

[Nicos]

OK...hangs head in shame.......

Although I've seen literally HUNDREDS of female pheasants in Uk.... a couple of days ago a local farmer enquired if anyone had seen a female pheasant roaming around - cos a fox had got his male - but it looked like the female had escaped....looks like the bird I saw was a female pheasant after all...except it was HUGE - with a downward pointing thick/short tail!

...coincidence maybe?????( hand on heart- I still can't see it was a pheasant- t'was nearly twice the size)