About the Willow Ptarmigan
The willow ptarmigan is a bird in the grouse tribe Tetraonini of the pheasant family Phasianidae. It is also known as the willow grouse. The willow ptarmigan breeds in birch and other forests and moorlands in northern Europe, the tundra of Scandinavia, Siberia, Alaska, and Canada, in particular in the provinces of Newfoundland and Labrador and Quebec. It is the state bird of Alaska.
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The willow ptarmigan is a medium to large, ground-dwelling bird and is the most numerous of the three species of ptarmigan. Males and females are about the same size, with the adult length varying between 35 and 44 cm (14 and 17 in) with a wingspan ranging from 60 to 65 cm (24 to 26 in). Its weight is 430 to 810 g (15 to 29 oz). It is deep-chested and has a fairly long neck, a broad bill, short, feathered legs, and a moderately short, rounded tail. In the summer, the male's plumage is marbled brown, with a reddish hue to the neck and breast, a black tail, and white wings and underparts.
Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
What the Willow Ptarmigan sounds like
Where it lives
Recorded as a rare visitor in St. Pierre & Miquelon.
When to see it
Peak activity in August · a summer visitor species across most of its range
Easily confused with
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).
White-tailed PtarmiganLagopus leucuraThe white-tailed ptarmigan is the smallest of the ptarmigans and the smallest bird in the grouse tribe.
Learn the Willow Ptarmigan for real
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