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Features: Both male and female mountain quail have a tall, straight, head plume that is black. They also have a chestnut brown throat patch that is bordered by a white stripe. Their head and shoulders are a gray color that fades into olive-brown on their backs. Their sides are brown with several black and white stripes making them a beautiful bird. Habitat: Mountain quail are native birds found on both sides of the Cascades. They thrive in the natural brushlands of southwestern Oregon and are also found in northwestern Oregon when suitable habitat is created by logging, fire or other…

Features: Similar to the greater scaup in appearance and habits, but smaller and lacking the white on the primaries. In the field, however, the black-and-white drakes and brown hens are very similar to greater scaups. Habitat: In general, the lesser scaup is more likely to be found in interior or freshwater habitats while the greater scaup is more a coastal bird. Techniques: Scaup are rafting birds attracted to large spreads of scaup decoys. Popular hunting destinations include coastal estuaries and lakes, where most hunters hunt from a boat. However, in the marshes of eastern Oregon, there can be good hunting…

Features: Female pheasants are brown on top and paler underneath. They have black spots on their sides and black bars throughout their tails. The males are much more conspicuous with bright red on their head, a white band around their necks, and an iridescent copper color on their sides and backs. Their tails are long and pointed with barring. Habitat: The ringneck is a farmland species, heavily dependent on cereal grains and other seeds. They also like taller vegetation for cover. Technique: Because pheasants are tied so closely to agriculture, the majority of hunting opportunity occurs on private lands. State…

Features: In breeding plumage, green-winged drakes have a cinnamon-colored head with a green eye-stripe, gray back, flanks, and a bright patch of iridescent green on the rear of the wing (speculum). Hens are brown with a green speculum. Habitat: Green-winged teal are primarily winter migrants in Oregon. They are puddle (dabbling) ducks that prefer shallow areas like ponds and marshes, where they feed on or near the surface of the water by tipping up. Techniques: Teal are early migrants that begin arriving in Oregon in August but will continue to arrive into November. There are good early season hunts in…

Features: Hungarian partridge have a gray-brown body with reddish brown barring on their wings, back and tail. Their beak and legs are gray. Habitat: In eastern Oregon, the best partridge populations exist in Columbia and Snake River basin counties. Although some birds may be found many miles from farming areas, the bunchgrass and sagebrush foothills adjacent to wheat and other farmlands provide the best habitat and the most stable populations. Technique: "Huns" are swift and challenging birds to hunt, usually bursting from the cover with a startling squeal and clatter of wings. They are typically hunted incidentally to pheasants or…

Features: The distinctive white band across the base of their bill gives this goose its name. It is medium in size with a gray and brown body. Adults have d ark brown and black spots on their chests and breasts give this goose the "specklebelly" nickname, while the young of the year birds are a nondescript gray with yellow legs and bills. Habitats: The white-fronted goose grazes on a mixture of grasses and grains. It can often be found in agricultural lands. Techniques: Hunting white-fronted geese is not for the faint-hearted. Scouting is necessary. And since they're mostly found in…

Features: During the fall, winter and spring months, males can be quickly identified by their distinctive iridescent green heads. Females are mottled-brown, with a dark brown stripe through each eye, an orange bill with black splotching and have orange legs. Immature ducks resemble adult females until the males develop more colorful plumage in early fall. After breeding season, males develop duller eclipse plumage beginning in June and resemble hens until mid-September. Wings of both sexes have a violet-blue speculum bordered in front and behind by a pronounced white stripe. Habitat: Mallards are the most common breeding and wintering duck in…