Spring 2006

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“We have now come to the conclusion that because we have not seen him with a female pheasant,” Trudie wrote, “he comes and visits with our female cat, takes a nap on our mat, and drops a calling card or two on the deck.”

Big bird is part of the family

Backyard Wildlife Sanctuary managers Jim and Trudie McFall of Auburn see a lot of birds on their place, but none has made itself at home quite like a ring-necked pheasant this past year.

By mid-winter when snow cover became compacted and icy, a pheasant that had occasionally shared ground feeder space with a myriad of small birds in the yard started exploring their deck.

“We’d come home and find pheasant foot prints all over our deck and were surprised that he would come so close to the house,” Trudie wrote.

The bold bird started making regular deck visits and the McFalls started regularly cleaning up large droppings.

“One day I came home to find my cat staring out at the pheasant, who was happily roosting on my welcome mat two inches from my sliding glass door, with one foot tucked up in his feathers.”

Then came the day when both Jim and Trudie heard something hit the glass and witnessed their cat rush to see the pheasant lightly knocking on the glass with his beak.

“We have now come to the conclusion that because we have not seen him with a female pheasant,” Trudie wrote, “he comes and visits with our female cat, takes a nap on our mat, and drops a calling card or two on the deck.”

Editor’s Note: If you’ve got an interesting Backyard Wildlife Sanctuary story or pictures to share, please contact me at luersmel@dfw.wa.gov.