Young female pheasant in Nottinghamshire garden

Hi, I live in Nottinghamshire and we have many different types of birds coming onto our garden but all are common ones in the area like blackbirds and pigeons however this morning at around 10:30 we spotted a young female pheasant which is really unusual as we've never had one before and only ever have seen them in country parks which are quite far away. It seems friendly enough but very aware of its surroundings and we have tried feeding it bread and grains that we've had spare but it will try and eat a couple bits and then walk off. Its unlikely that my neighbours keep pheasants as nobody around has got big enough gardens as such. It must be hiding right now because it's been here from probably around 10am to 3pm and seems lost. What can I do to help it and is there anyone I should call? How could it have got onto my garden and why?

  • Hello BW19, are there any estates where the pheasant many have luckily escaped from? I have heard of a pheasant that got into the back of a van and ended up in a residential estate! I live in the country and there is an estate a couple of miles away so we have always had some pheasants around, at the moment we have mum, dad and not so small 4 children! They were like young ducklings when they first arrived, they must live out in the field somewhere and wander about all day long, they always come for food. Thankfully the 20kg bags of mixed grain is only around £8 so I don't grudge them that. I would avoid giving them bread, birds don't do well with that. They are quite skittish birds and really best left alone, it may have a mate somewhere? They can get tamed though and it is difficult to leave them alone. Once a male whom I called Percy, got very tame and would hand feed, he even wandered into the garage to get his food! I don't think there is a need to contact anyone, unless you think the bird is ill or in danger.