Hello, I am a very fledgling birder from Western North Carolina, US. Today I saw a bird in my yard whilst watching my bluebird nesting box and I swear I don't think I've ever seen one of these birds and can't find anything on it using the online bird identifiers. I'm stumped! Any help would be so very appreciated.
The bird is medium-large - about the size of a mourning dove, but more upright looking - as a partridge might be. It was rooting in the grass for insects (it appeared). It was grayish and white, with brown specks and gray wings. It had a very distinct black semi-circle on its breast (the flat side facing upward) and a very bright reddish-orange patch on the back of its head. It also had a beautiful electric-blue color on its back. It was very interesting! I've looked and looked and can't find a thing! Any guesses? Thanks.
The bird is medium-large - about the size of a mourning dove, but more upright looking - as a partridge might be. It was rooting in the grass for insects (it appeared). It was grayish and white, with brown specks and gray wings. It had a very distinct black semi-circle on its breast (the flat side facing upward) and a very bright reddish-orange patch on the back of its head. It also had a beautiful electric-blue color on its back. It was very interesting! I've looked and looked and can't find a thing! Any guesses? Thanks.