Meet these game birds found here in our town in the High Desert of Oregon! These birds are typically in this area every time I take a walk this way and every time they seam to make me jump even though I know they are there haha!

Without looking at the photographs Guy, (he is my other half ), says they are probably the common sage hens. This could be for I looked up ,”Sage Han”, here on the computer and the females and young do look like these photographs I took.

These birds are pretty quick! I try and be quiet, however we are never as quiet as we think we are! This is a NO HUNTING zone and I find year after year this flock is growing. I would like to run into the adult males, since this is a sure way of identifying the species. Well, a easier way! The males being the flashier one with colors and such.

I did get these photographs as the chicks were not quite full grown. The photograph above you see a chick, with what appears to be a older bird. These birds are the size of chickens, smaller then some chickens my grandparents raised.

I know these birds are in this locations, though they always make me laugh for they start taking off to hide and I seam to jump in surprise every time haha For a long while I just assumed they were quail. Quail are very common here! Not sure why I just assumed this other then quail are every where!! The Quail are even found at our home, walking down the roads, stopping traffic (like we have a lot of traffic in this town haha)…….

Watching the Quail on one of my walks into a gully I even came face to face with a Coyote who was hunting the quail I was watching…. surprising both the dog and I !

I have seen Coyote around this flock of birds as well! The NO HUNTING only applies to people with weapons. Coyotes are nothing to fear, they don’t want anything to do with people around here. More then likely if a Coyote has reached adult hood it has been shot at, probably a couple times….

These birds also have to watch out for the Birds of Prey we have here! The Harriers are quite humorous for they will fly low to see what you have kicked up out of the brush for them! Harriers are said to be one of the only Birds of Prey who use their hearing more then other Birds of Prey. Might be why the Harriers fly so low and typically found on the ground?

I have seen both the Bald Eagle, the Golden eagles in this location. The Red Tailed Hawk of course! The Osprey fish around this location. The Owls can be found both day and night here in this location. Other miscellaneous Birds of Prey can be found here in our town as well.

If one goes to the Train Depot here in our town and look out in the direction of the Cascade Mountains, if one just waits you will see Birds Of Prey! I see them most every day, hearing them is not uncommon! Our town is Metolius Oregon if you ever come with way. Just keep in mind the areas are private property so just keep to the Train Depot or the roads and you are fine. You might have folks wondering what you are doing, though many folks show up here with their binoculars. Then the locals know what you are doing. Heck you may even see me walking around with my cameras?

If you have any information about these birds, do share! They could be the Sage Hens as Guy has guessed?  I had told the farmers who allow me on their land that I would not give the location of that in which I photograph and I mean to keep my word.

I have been working on a project in which my hands/arms really hurt. I will try and not be to cranky haha

Thank you for coming by and checking out these Game Birds who are found here in our town in The High Desert of Oregon!

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