White-tailed Ptarmigan

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Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

When to see the White-tailed Ptarmigan

One bar for each month. Filled bars are the 6 months with records; pale bars are months with none. The wide bar is July, the month with the most records.

Where to see the White-tailed Ptarmigan

The map shades 2 countries with regular records. Everything unshaded has no records. Countries are listed below the map.

About the White-tailed Ptarmigan

The white-tailed ptarmigan, also known as the snow quail, is the smallest bird in the grouse tribe. It is a permanent resident of high altitudes on or above the tree line and is native to Alaska and the mountainous parts of Canada and the western United States. Its plumage is cryptic and varies at different times of the year. In the summer it is speckled in gray, brown and white whereas in winter it is wholly white. At all times of year the wings, belly and tail are white. The white-tailed ptarmigan has a diet of buds, leaves, flowers and seeds. The nest is a simple depression in the ground in which up to eight eggs are laid. After hatching, the chicks soon leave the nest.

Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

Easily confused with

Red GrouseLagopus scoticaThe red grouse is distinguished from the willow grouse and rock ptarmigan by its reddish brown plumage being present all year, lacking any white winter plumage or white wing feathers. Rock PtarmiganLagopus mutaThe rock ptarmigan is 34–36 cm (13–14 in) long with an 8 cm (3.1 in) tail and with a wingspan of 54–60 cm (21–24 in) and a weight of 440–640 g (15.5–22.6 oz). Willow PtarmiganLagopus lagopusThe willow ptarmigan is a medium to large, ground-dwelling bird and is the most numerous of the three species of ptarmigan.

Side by side: White-tailed Ptarmigan vs Willow Ptarmigan · Rock Ptarmigan vs White-tailed Ptarmigan