Willow Ptarmigan
Lagopus lagopus
Summary 3
Willow ptarmigan have chunky bodies (28-43cm/11-17in), weighing an average of 0.57 kg. They have short legs with feathered toes, a feature that enables them to navigate through loose snow. They have short tails (with an average of 13cm; 5in or more for males and or less for females) and wings (when folded, an average of 19cm/7in or more for males and or less for females).
Willow ptarmigan molt seasonally. Their winter plumage is usually complete by November, depending on the geographic region of the population. It consists of white feathers covering the entire body except the tail, which remains black. However, the tail is often covered by other feathers on the body, making the bird appear completely white. When the spring arrives, the females’ plumage becomes a mottled brown and ochre, while the males have a rusty hazel or chestnut coloring with darker brown barring on the entire body except for the wings and tail. They also have red “combs” on their eyes which are generally more visible during the warmer months.
Habitat 4
Open alpine and arctic tundra, especially in areas heavily vegetated with grasses, mosses, herbs and shrubs, less frequently in openings in boreal coniferous forest (AOU 1983). Common especially in thickets of willow and alder (National Geographic Society 1983). Nests on the ground, on tundra, beaches, or near marshes (Terres 1980). The nest is a scrape lined with grasses, moss, and feathers, usually located near a bush or tuft of grass.
Sources and Credits
- (c) Gavan Watson, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA), http://www.flickr.com/photos/34259482@N00/895242625
- (c) 2008 California Academy of Sciences, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA), http://calphotos.berkeley.edu/cgi/img_query?seq_num=265484&one=T
- Adapted by Yukon Conservation Data Centre from a work by (c) The Regents of the University of Michigan and its licensors, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA), http://eol.org/data_objects/31400338
- Adapted by Yukon Conservation Data Centre from a work by (c) NatureServe, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), http://eol.org/data_objects/28815903
More Info
Range Map
iNaturalist.ca Map
| Color | brown, red, white |
|---|---|
| Animal | Bird |
| Bird | ptarmigan |
