Ptarmigan or Rock Ptarmigan
Grouse
The Rock Ptarmigan, Lagopus muta, is also known as Snow Chicken or Partridge in North America, where it is the official bird for the territory of Nunavut, Canada, ...
Ptarmigans
The Ptarmigan is an arctic bird that spends most of its life on the ground. They have rounded bodies, short tails, and short rounded white wings. The ptarmigan also has feathered feet, helping it to walk on the snow.
Ptarmigan
Related Category: Vertebrate Zoology
(tär´mgn): see grouse.
More on Ptarmigan
Grouse - common name for a game bird of the colder parts of the Northern Hemisphere. There are about 18 species.
Rock Ptarmigan
Lagopus mutus (Montin)
Status One record. An adult in full winter plumage was taken at Elmsdale, Hants County, on 20 April 1922 by Malcolm Lucas (Piers 1927).
ROCK PTARMIGAN.
[Rock Ptarmigan (see also American Ptarmigan).]
LAGOPUS RUPESTRIS, Gmel.
[Lagopus mutus.] ...
Rock ptarmigan Lagopus mutus
Identification Tips:
Length: 11 inches
Medium-sized, stocky, round-winged, chicken-like bird
Squarish black tail
Small black bill
Legs and toes feathered to tips of toes in winter, base of toes in summer ...
Ptarmigans are possibly Britain's toughest birds and live in the cold, harsh mountains of Scotland. In snowy conditions, their feathered feet act as snow shoes, so the ptarmigan can walk even on soft snow.
Ptarmigans
Ptarmigans, Lagopus, are stocky members of the Grouse family that inhabit tundra, moors, and alpine areas of northern Eurasia and North America ...
Ptarmigans can be seen in the alpine and arctic tundra all over the northern hemisphere. This includes northern Quebec and the Northwest Territories.
Likes to Hang Out: ...
Ptarmigans feed on plant material, buds, flowers and insects.
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Ptarmigan are arctic grouse. Theya have a separate summer and winter plumage. In winter, they turn primarily white from their rufous summer colouration. In short, they are well camouflaged against predation.
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Rock Ptarmigan, Lagopus muta
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Where are they found? Asia, Europe, Greenland, North America ...
Rock Ptarmigan Behaviour
No observations regarding Rock Ptarmigan behavior have been submitted to the database yet.
Interesting Facts about Rock Ptarmigans ...
Willow Ptarmigan
Lagopus lagopus
Protective coloration plays an important part in the life cycle of the Willow Ptarmigan (Lagopus lagopus). The photo shown here shows the species during summer.
Behavior Rock ptarmigan don't leave the tundra in winter, but they may migrate short distances to lowland areas in search of food. In the winter males and females live in separate groups.
Image Credits: Clipart.com unless otherwise noted
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White-tailed Ptarmigan Lagopus leucura
Described by: Richardson (1831)
Alternate common name(s): Snow Grouse
Old scientific name(s): Lagopus leucurus ...
Ptarmigan, Willow aka Willow Grouse Lagopus lagopus Found: North America, Europe, Asia
Photographed by: 1, 2) Roman Krochuk 3) Dick Daniels in Alaska 4) Derek Ramsey 5) TTphoto ...
9. Willow Ptarmigans (Alaska state bird) ...taken from an open bus window in Denali National Park
10. Northern Pintail and Canada Goose at Potter Marsh south of Anchorage
11. Northern Pintail ...
Even with a poor driver you can expect to see the big mammals. One special thrill was seeing a Grizzly Bear nursing 3 cubs very close to the road. From the bus I saw:Willow Ptarmigan and Rock Ptarmigan.
Lagopus muta (Ptarmigan)
The Scottish race of the ptarmigan is found only in Scotland, and is the only bird in Britain to turn white during winter. This gamebird has... More 18 Images 0 videos ...
Birds (especially ptarmigan) are the primary food of gyrfalcons. In Minnesota, they often prey on ruffed grouse and pigeons (rock doves).
Predators
Young gyrfalcons may be killed by predators such as foxes, owls and eagles.
Springer reported that up to 30 percent of breeding season diet in Alaska was avian prey, and consisted mostly of fledgling passerines, ptarmigan (Lagopus spp.), and occasionally lesser golden-plover (Pluvialis dominica) [33].
Various gallinaceous birds (largely phasianids, ptarmigans and grouse) are the most significant avian prey. However, virtually any bird, from a jay to a swan, is potential prey.
Alaska - Willow ptarmigan
Arizona - Cactus wren
Arkansas - Mockingbird
California - California valley quail (Lophortyx californica)
Colorado - Prairie Lark-Finch
Connecticut - Robin
Delaware - Blue hen chicken
Florida - Mockingbird ...
This family contains pheasants, turkeys, grouse and ptarmigans. Most species have spurs on the tarsus and the hind toe that faces backwards is elevated so that it does not touch the ground. Many members of this family have been domesticated.
Carnivore. Musk oxen, Peary caribou, Arctic foxes, ptarmigan, lemmings, seals, nesting birds, and Arctic hares.
Predators and Threats
Polar bears, other wolves, humans.
Merlins prey mainly on small birds of the ground and low vegetation, including larks (Alaudidae), sparrows (Passeridae and Emberizidae), finches (Fringillidae) and ptarmigans and grouse (Tetraoninae).
The largest North American grouse is the white tailed ptarmigan
about 12 1/2 inches.
Diet: Birds & mammals e.g. mountain hare, grouse, ptarmigan and carrion.
Red Grouse (Lagopus lagopus scoticus)
(aka Willow Grouse, Willow Ptarmigan)
Scotland ...
Food
: They are predatory carnivores. They hunt in packs for caribou and musk-oxen. They also consume Arctic hares, ptarmigan, lemmings, and other small animals including nesting birds.
FEEDING HABITS:
This species of owl relies mostly on small rodents such as lemmings and is also capable of taking hares and large birds such as ptarmigan. This owl depends mostly on cyclic lemming for the majority of its food.
“I have seen this hawk sail without a quiver of its pinions, until within seizing distance of its quarry, and suddenly throw its wings back, when with a clash they [a Ptarmigan] came together, and the vicinity was filled with white feathers, ...
The ruffed grouse, is the most common at Eastern the American variety (misscalled Partridge of pheasant), living in the forest this bird is noted for its strumming sound made by the male during elaborately courtship dancing. The ptarmigan , ...
Other dotterel seek summer homes on the highest and barest tops of the Cairngorms. Pioneers return at the beginning of May when the high tops are still deep in winter snow. Ptarmigan and an occasional golden eagle are almost the only other birds on ...
Staples Snowshoe hares. Lynx are specialized hunters and can survive only where there are adequate hare populations.
Also known to occasionally prey on mice, voles, grouse, ptarmigan, and red squirrel.
Population
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FOOD:
Snowshoe hares are the primary prey of lynx. Lynx are specialized hunters and can survive only where there are adequate hare populations. Lynx occasionally prey on mice, voles, grouse, ptarmigan, and red squirrel.
Lynx usually hunt and travel alone and are slightly more active at night than by day. They are specialized hunters and can survive only where there are adequate snowshoe hare populations. Lynx occasionally prey on mice, voles, grouse, ptarmigan, ...
Abstract: Adult Elegant Terns (Sterna elegans), Roseate Terns (S. dougallii), many gulls (Laridae), several pelicans (Pelecanus spp.), the Common Merganser (Mergus merganser), and ptarmigans (Lagopus spp.) disp..[more]..
who are stealth hunters; they can easily sneak up on their prey since their fluffy feathers give them almost silent flight. Snowy owls hunt and eat small rodents like lemmings and voles. They also eat hares, rabbits, and large birds like ptarmigans, ...
Anyway the bird has everyone baffled. My uncle seems to think it is a dove crossed with a cockatiel. My wife thinks it is either a ptarmigan way off path or an immature kite. To me it's quite a neat oddity.
 See also: Grouse, Willow ptarmigan, Eagle, Pheasant, Fly
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