Chukar on my house!

You never know what might happen next in the world of birds. This evening I heard loud, strange birdlike noises just down the street from my house. I walked down that way to look for the source, and soon spotted three Chukar standing on a chimney of a neighboring house. They became nervous as I approached, and took off flying past me down the street and landed on my own house roof!

This species, native to southern Asia, has become established in the rocky high desert environment of eastern Oregon. But here in western Oregon their presence most likely means they have escaped from someone's "exotic chicken house" in my neighborhood.