Hello Mrs. Kidston,

Your bird looks like a Tenebrosus Pheasant, which is a color morph of the Ring-necked Pheasant (known as Common Pheasant in Europe). Scientific name is "Phasianus colchichus var. tenebrosus". I am not sure if it has ever been naturally recorded among the introduced populations in Washington, but it is popularly bred in the UK and elsewhere. Anything's possible, though; this could be a "wild" (introduced but naturalized) bird!

Either way, it's a pretty pheasant, and it's special to have one in your yard.

Good birding to you, Joshua Glant

Mercer Island, WA

Josh.n.glant at gmail.com

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