{"id":21156,"date":"2015-04-02T06:03:26","date_gmt":"2015-04-02T12:03:26","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/?p=21156"},"modified":"2025-12-06T06:53:56","modified_gmt":"2025-12-06T12:53:56","slug":"chukar-in-gold","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2015\/04\/02\/chukar-in-gold\/","title":{"rendered":"Chukar in Gold"},"content":{"rendered":"<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"lazyload aligncenter wp-image-165318 size-full\" title=\"Chukar in gold colored grasses on Antelope Island State Park, Davis County, Utah\" src=\"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/chukar-golden-mia-mcpherson-1810.jpg\" data-orig-src=\"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/chukar-golden-mia-mcpherson-1810.jpg\" alt=\"Chukar in gold colored grasses on Antelope Island State Park, Davis County, Utah\" width=\"850\" height=\"607\" srcset=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%27http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%27%20width%3D%27850%27%20height%3D%27607%27%20viewBox%3D%270%200%20850%20607%27%3E%3Crect%20width%3D%27850%27%20height%3D%27607%27%20fill-opacity%3D%220%22%2F%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/chukar-golden-mia-mcpherson-1810-200x143.jpg 200w, https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/chukar-golden-mia-mcpherson-1810-300x214.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/chukar-golden-mia-mcpherson-1810-400x286.jpg 400w, https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/chukar-golden-mia-mcpherson-1810-600x428.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/chukar-golden-mia-mcpherson-1810-768x548.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/chukar-golden-mia-mcpherson-1810.jpg 850w\" data-sizes=\"auto\" data-orig-sizes=\"(max-width: 850px) 100vw, 850px\" \/><span style=\"color: #808080;\">Chukar in Gold &#8211; Nikon D810, f6.3, 1\/1250, ISO 400, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light<br \/>\n<\/span><\/p>\n<p>Before my recent trip to <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><a title=\"A Journey to Capitol Reef National Park\" href=\"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2015\/03\/26\/a-journey-to-capitol-reef-national-park\/\">Capitol Reef National Park<\/a><\/span> and photographing <a title=\"Mesmerizing Mating Displays at a Greater Sage-Grouse Lek\" href=\"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2015\/03\/30\/mesmerizing-mating-displays-at-a-greater-sage-grouse-lek\/\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">grouse<\/span><\/a> in Wayne County I photographed this Chukar on <a href=\"http:\/\/stateparks.utah.gov\/parks\/antelope-island\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Antelope Island State Park<\/span><\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>It is a simple image but it is one I found very appealing because of the subject (I can&#8217;t resist birds), the setting with the out of focus vegetation and the golden light of dawn. The dried vegetation in front of the Chukar seemed to create a translucent veil of gold in front of and behind the bird.<\/p>\n<p>I have finished culling all the Greater Sage-Grouse images I took in Wayne County, Utah but I wanted to share this image before I post any more of the grouse.<\/p>\n<p>Life <em>is<\/em> good.<\/p>\n<p>Mia<\/p>\n<p>Click <a href=\"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/chukar-images\/\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">here<\/span><\/a> to see more of my Chukar photos plus facts and information about this species.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Before my recent trip to Capitol Reef National Park and photographing grouse in Wayne County I photographed this Chukar on Antelope Island State Park. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":165318,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":true,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[511,27,442,1022,26],"tags":[4146,445,4773,11978,4254,4046,401,373],"class_list":["post-21156","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-antelope-island-state-park","category-avian","category-chukars","category-davis-county-utah","category-utah","tag-alectoris-chukar","tag-chukar","tag-chukars","tag-desert-island","tag-golden-light","tag-portrait","tag-upland-game-birds","tag-winter"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/chukar-golden-mia-mcpherson-1810.jpg","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p11Mom-5ve","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":45634,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2017\/03\/18\/photographing-chukars-on-antelope-island\/","url_meta":{"origin":21156,"position":0},"title":"Photographing Chukars on Antelope Island","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"March 18, 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"Yesterday morning I was able to spend time photographing a pair of Chukars on Antelope Island State Park in a grassy area that has begun to turn green.","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Antelope Island State Park&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Antelope Island State Park","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/locations\/utah\/antelope-island-state-park\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Fluffy Chukar portrait, Antelope Island State Park, Davis County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/chukar-fluffy-portrait-mia-mcpherson-7086.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/chukar-fluffy-portrait-mia-mcpherson-7086.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/chukar-fluffy-portrait-mia-mcpherson-7086.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/chukar-fluffy-portrait-mia-mcpherson-7086.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":79136,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2021\/02\/11\/chukar-and-snow\/","url_meta":{"origin":21156,"position":1},"title":"Chukar And Snow","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"February 11, 2021","format":false,"excerpt":"Eight years ago today I was out in the field photographing a Chukar and snow on Antelope Island State Park.","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Antelope Island State Park&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Antelope Island State Park","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/locations\/utah\/antelope-island-state-park\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Adult Chukar perched on a mound of snow, Antelope Island State Park, Davis County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/chukar-adult-snow-mia-mcpherson-6742.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/chukar-adult-snow-mia-mcpherson-6742.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/chukar-adult-snow-mia-mcpherson-6742.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/chukar-adult-snow-mia-mcpherson-6742.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":20960,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2015\/03\/16\/chukar-portrait\/","url_meta":{"origin":21156,"position":2},"title":"Chukar Portrait","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"March 16, 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"While photographing Black-billed Magpies last week I noticed a pair of Chukars up close and decided to take portraits of the closest bird.","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Antelope Island State Park&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Antelope Island State Park","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/locations\/utah\/antelope-island-state-park\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Springtime Chukar portrait, Antelope Island State Park, Davis County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/chukar-portrait-mia-mcpherson-9979.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/chukar-portrait-mia-mcpherson-9979.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/chukar-portrait-mia-mcpherson-9979.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/chukar-portrait-mia-mcpherson-9979.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":14542,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2014\/03\/10\/chukars-on-antelope-island-state-park\/","url_meta":{"origin":21156,"position":3},"title":"Chukars on Antelope Island State Park","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"March 10, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"After seeing few Chukars on Antelope Island State Park over the winter it is a delight to see them perching on rocks, preening, calling and warming up in the first rays of sunlight on the island again.","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Antelope Island State Park&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Antelope Island State Park","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/locations\/utah\/antelope-island-state-park\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Preening Chukar on a Tintic Quartzite boulder, Antelope Island State Park, Davis County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/chukar-preening-mia-mcpherson-3682.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/chukar-preening-mia-mcpherson-3682.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/chukar-preening-mia-mcpherson-3682.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/chukar-preening-mia-mcpherson-3682.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":20161,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2015\/02\/16\/a-chukar-lichen-and-a-tintic-quartzite-boulder\/","url_meta":{"origin":21156,"position":4},"title":"Chukar, Lichen and a Tintic Quartzite Boulder","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"February 16, 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"Yesterday was a nice day to be out photographing on Antelope Island State Park, the sun was shining, the wind was minimal and there were a few birds to be found.","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Antelope Island State Park&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Antelope Island State Park","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/locations\/utah\/antelope-island-state-park\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Chukar, lichen and a Tintic Quartzite boulder on Antelope Island, Davis County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/chukar-lichen-mia-mcpherson-2881.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/chukar-lichen-mia-mcpherson-2881.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/chukar-lichen-mia-mcpherson-2881.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/chukar-lichen-mia-mcpherson-2881.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":2652,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2011\/07\/05\/the-chukars-of-antelope-island-throughout-the-year\/","url_meta":{"origin":21156,"position":5},"title":"Chukars of Antelope Island &#8211; Throughout the Year","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"July 5, 2011","format":false,"excerpt":"Photographs of the Chukars on Antelope Island State Park, Utah throughout the year.","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Antelope Island State Park&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Antelope Island State Park","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/locations\/utah\/antelope-island-state-park\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Chukar calling in Black Mustard on Antelope Island State Park, Davis County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/chukar-calling-sunrise-utah-mia-mcpherson-7277.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/chukar-calling-sunrise-utah-mia-mcpherson-7277.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/chukar-calling-sunrise-utah-mia-mcpherson-7277.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/chukar-calling-sunrise-utah-mia-mcpherson-7277.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21156","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=21156"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21156\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/165318"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=21156"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=21156"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=21156"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}