Yesterday while driving through Columbia NWR after a productive stop at Para Ponds, Blair Bernson and I flushed a covey of California Quail by an ephemeral pond 0.15 miles east of the turnoff to Upper Goose Lake. With the quail was a Dusky-sized grouse with black head and nape, chestnut side or front of neck, brown and gray
streaked or scaled back, short dark tail, red or orange legs and a slight crested appearance like a ruffed grouse. Neither of us recognized it but a subsequent internet search turned up a close match - a male Black Francolin. The habitat is a good fit but the nearest population is in Hawaii so the bird probably did not get there without human assistance.
Doe anyone know about any Black Francolin releases in the area?
Brian Pendleton
kc7wpd at hotmail.com
Seattle WA