Chukar (Alectoris chukar) in my backyard in Anchorage

Observation by Anita Moore-Nall:

Chukar's are not generally seen this far north. According to the Audubon field guide they are native to the Middle East and southern Asia and were brought as a game bird to North America, where it has thrived in some arid regions of the west. Possibly this was someone's bird used for training hunting dogs.

Comments by LEO Editors:

You may be correct that this is someone's bird used to train hunting dogs. According to the Alaska Department of Fish and Game, there is no permit required to import, possess, or sell species of upland game birds that are unlikely to establish themselves in this environment. On that list are pigeons, pheasants, guinea fowl, new world quail, and chukar partridge. In the United States, chukars have become established in dry, high elevation and desert areas. When brought to areas as game birds, they occasionally find their way to residential areas, as this chukar in Fairbanks did during 2013.