Nonbreeding birds are almost entirely white , with dark eye, bill, and tail feathers. Breeding males are reddish brown with dark barring and dark tail feathers; wings, legs, and belly remain white. Breeding females are intricately mottled in dark and pale brown.
What eats a willow ptarmigan?
Several known predators of North American willow ptarmigan populations include: hooded crows , ravens, magpies, red foxes, pine martens, mink, short-tailed weasels, least weasels, gulls, northern harriers, golden eagles, bald eagles, rough-legged hawks, gyrfalcons, peregrine falcons, northern goshawks, snowy owls, ...
What is the willow ptarmigan known for?
Basic Description. A master of camouflage , the Willow Ptarmigan is snowy white in winter and an intricate mix of reds and browns in summer. This rotund grouse of subarctic tundra lives year-round in areas where most bird species can survive only during the warmer months.
Can a willow ptarmigan fly?
Though willow ptarmigan spend the majority of time on the ground, if they are startled, they burst into strong, swift flight and can cover a mile prior to landing .
Where does the willow ptarmigan live?
Tundra, willow scrub, muskeg. Generally found north of timberline , in lower wet tundra with abundant thickets of dwarf willow. Also in brushy openings within northern forest. In mountainous regions, lives near timberline or in open valleys in shrubby willow growth.
Do polar bears eat ptarmigan?
Foxes, lynxes, and owls are just some of the animals that commonly eat ptarmigans. In general, the predators of ptarmigans are falcons, eagles, weasels, wolves, wolverines, foxes, gulls, ravens, crows, lynxes, and polar bears, to name a few. Just like any prey , ptarmigans don’t make it easy for predators.
What is the lifespan of a ptarmigan?
Ptarmigans live about 2 years in the wild .
What’s a chica Willow?
The willow ptarmigan (/ˈtɑːrmɪɡən/) (Lagopus lagopus) is a bird in the grouse subfamily Tetraoninae of the pheasant family Phasianidae. It is also known as the willow grouse and in Ireland and Britain, where the subspecies L. l. scotica was previously considered to be a separate species, as the red grouse.
Is Alaska’s state bird?
The Willow ptarmigan was designated as our state bird in 1955, even before Alaska became the 49th state.
Does ptarmigan mate for life?
Seeds, flower heads, and leaves of various forbs are consumed during summer and early fall. ... Berries may be consumed during the fall, particularly by birds in the more northern populations. Breeding Characteristics: White-tailed ptarmigan are monogamous and generally mate for life.
Where do Ptarmigans sleep?
Ptarmigans – The Color Changing Arctic Birds. DuringwWinter, they sleep deep within snow banks . They fly into the snow banks so they don’t leave tracks for a predator to follow.
What is Hawaii’s state bird?
The official state bird of Hawaii is the nēnē, also known as the Hawaiian goose . This species of goose is thought to have evolved from the Canada goose which likely arrived on the Hawaiian islands about 500,000 years ago. Found only on the Hawaiian islands, these protected birds are quite a sight to behold.
Why is the willow ptarmigan Alaska state bird?
In 1955, as leaders of the Territory of Alaska were drafting a constitution in preparation for statehood, Alaska school children chose the willow ptarmigan as a symbol of the Great Land . It became the official state bird when Alaska was made the 49th state in 1960.
What does Lagopus mean in English?
The genus name Lagopus is derived from Ancient Greek lagos (λαγος), meaning “ hare “, + pous (πους), “foot”, in reference to the feathered feet and toes typical of this cold-adapted group (such as the snowshoe hare).
How many eggs do Ptarmigans lay?
During courtship, the male will drag one wing on the ground, fan out his tail, raise his red comb and circle the female. The female lays six to ten eggs in a sheltered hollow lined with grass and moss. The male and female will stay together until incubation reaches the halfway mark, then the male will leave.
Are grouse and ptarmigan the same?
Ptarmigan, any of three or four species of partridgelike grouse of cold regions , belonging to the genus Lagopus of the grouse family, Tetraonidae. They undergo seasonal changes of plumage, from white against winter snowfields to gray or brown, with barring, in spring and summer against tundra vegetation.
