It is a foot in length and is the smallest of the ptarmigans and the only ptarmigan with an all white tail. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) is publishing a not-warranted for listing under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) finding for the southern white-tailed ptarmigan. [6][15] Once fall and winter arrive in the region, the ptarmigan feeds on pine needles, seeds, willow and alder buds and twigs. The plural of ptarmigan, originally a Scottish Gaelic word, is ptarmigan. 1 Description 2 Habitats 3 Attractants 4 Retrieving 5 Missions 6 Permitted Ammunition The white-tailed ptarmigan, also known as the snow quail, is the smallest bird in the grouse family. White-tailed Ptarmigan are small, tubby grouse, snow-white in winter and twig-brown in summer. 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. Theyre famous for being virtually invisible when they stand still against the windswept rocks, low shrubs, and snowbanks of their high-mountain habitat. Habitat in Breeding Range. [17] The female builds a simple scrape nest on the ground, while the male acts as a sentry to guard the area. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. White-tailed Range: White-tailed ptarmigan range as far north as south-central Alaska, north-central Yukon Territory, and extreme western portions of the Northwest Territories. [13], The white-tailed ptarmigan is the only bird in North America to reside permanently in the alpine zone. It survives across northwest and western Canada and coastal Alaska, down through most of British Columbia (NatureServe 2019). [5] The species name leucura is derived from the Latinized version of the Greek leukos, meaning "white" and oura, meaning "tail", in reference to the bird's permanently white tail. In: IUCN 2015. It is not a conservation concern and is abundant in alpine zones across North America, indicating that this region is not undergoing dramatic climatic, temperature, or precipitation shifts. White-tailed Ptarmigan eggs are light cinnamon, showing dark spots toward the time of hatching. ACTION TIMELINE. Willow ptarmigans have a wider range than any other species, and spread much farther south. The population seems to be stable and the IUCN lists this species as being of "Least Concern". The precocial young leave the nest six to twelve hours after hatching. ITIS. MEDIA Press releases Media highlights Search our newsroom for the white-tailed ptarmigan. At first they eat insects but later move on to an adult diet, their mother using vocalisations to help them find suitable plant food. [18] One side of the nest generally provides a quick escape route. It has feathers on its legs and it has a small bill. Our petition asked the U.S. In his pioneering 1909 book on the subject, Concealing-Coloration in the Animal Kingdom, the American artist Abbott Thayer wrote: The diet of these birds varies based on region, species, and age. Winter home ranges of 17 hens averaged 1.62 f 0.72 km2 and were larger than those of two males (0.44 t 0.20 km>). The rock and willow ptarmigans both live across northern North America, Europe, and Asia. Ive seen them only in the high country of the Swan Range, Jewel Basin, Glacier National Park, and the Great Bear Wilderness. Males and females look alike in winter. ENDANGERED SPECIES ACT PROFILE. It ranges from Alaska and western Canada south to northern New Mexico. The white-tailed ptarmigan (pronounced TAR-mi-gan) is one of the few animals that takes on this unique challenge and, in fact, has the distinction of being the only bird species in Colorado that lives on or near the alpine tundra year-round. The five subspecies of whitetails range from the peaks of the Rocky Mountains in northern New Mexico and Colorado (where they live at 12,000 14,000 feet), Mount Rainer and Vancouver Island in the coastal mountains, to Southcentral Alaska and central Yukon. While the other ptarmigan are strictly northern, this one follows the cordillera of the high Rockies as far south as New Mexico. During June, they lay from six to twelve eggs having a creamy background, speckled and blotched with chestnut brown. It may have been native here during the early Pleistocene but became locally extinct due to climate changes with greater snow-cover in spring impacting on its breeding season. Broods of young white-tailed ptarmigan, under the care of the hen, stay high on the breeding grounds all summer. To attract females, a male will strut and display his tail feathers. Far above timberline in mountains of the west lives this elusive little ptarmigan, the smallest member of the grouse family in North America. The white-tailed ptarmigan, like most ptarmigan species, is no stranger to the northern boreal region. It is the smallest grouse in North America (total length 30 to 31 cm, weight 295 to 440 grams), and the only species of grouse with white tail feathers. In winter, both sexes are pure white. In the summer it is speckled in gray, brown and white whereas in winter it is wholly white. The white-tailed ptarmigan only lives in Alaska and northwest Canada. To make sure the white-tailed ptarmigan's uniqueness doesn't leave it high and dry in the face of climate change as well as other threats in 2010 the Center filed a scientific petition to earn federal protection for the bird in the lower 48 states, where it's by far the most imperiled. White-tailed Ptarmigan: Small grouse, mottled brown overall, white on wings, breast, belly, red eye comb, white-edged brown tail, legs covered with white feathers. [9][11] In general this bird is silent but it sometimes makes quiet, low-pitched hoots and soft clucking noises. Photo by Tropical Birding (Nick Athanas) - Colorado, United States. Plumage changes throughout the year. It is a mottled grayish-brown in summer and white in winter. The hens call their chicks to these plants, which are critical for the growth and development of the chicks. A bit of research into the history of this species reveals that White-tailed Ptarmigan used to be found in the Snowy Range, just outside of Laramie. [15] The nest is a shallow depression in a snow-free area, generally protected from the wind and is softened with grasses and a few feathers. Within 6-12 hours of hatching, the female leads her clutch of 4-8 chicks to food sources where they are able to feed themselves. It has feathers on its legs and a small bill. ABSTRACT.-Home ranges, habitat characteristics, and fidelity of White-tailed Ptarmigan (Lagopus leucurus) to wintering sites were studied in north-central Colorado. It is a mottled grayish-brown in summer and white in winter. Lives most of its life above timberline. [6][9] The finely barred greyish coloration on the back makes it easy to distinguish this species from the much browner willow ptarmigan and rock ptarmigan. In addition, these birds have feathers around their nostrils to warm the air prior to entry into the respiratory tract. White-tailed Ptarmigan: Scientific (Lagopus leucura) Order: GALLIFORMES: Family (Latin) Phasianidae: Family (English) Pheasants & Allies: Other name(s) Breeding Regions: NA: Breeding Range Subregions: w, nw: Nonbreeding Range Subregions: Countries (BETA)map: Canada,United States - Alaska,United States - mainland, IOC 9.1 Subspecies Alternatively, it may have been unable to colonize the Sierra Nevada because of the barriers provided by the Columbia River and the Great Basin, and the low altitudes of the intervening South Cascades. [8] During the summer, the white-tailed ptarmigan is a speckled grayish brown with white underparts, tail and wings. The conservation rating for this species is listed as Least Concern. [6], The white-tailed ptarmigan is the smallest of the ptarmigans and the smallest bird in the grouse family. The white-tailed ptarmigan was given the scientific name Tetrao (Lagopus) leucurus by the Arctic explorer John Richardson in 1831. [9][10] Even in winter it stays in high valleys and mountain slopes where alder, willow, birch and spruce poke through the snow cover. Regular reports of the species go back as far as the mid-1970's, with a single documented record from 2005 which may represent a dispersal event from Colorado (Hoffman 2006, Faulkner 2010, Cornell Lab of Ornithology 2012). Habitat in Nonbreeding Range. [12], The white-tailed ptarmigan is an alpine species, a permanent resident of the high mountains above or near the timber line. Range and Habitat of the White-Tailed Ptarmigan. (330-480 g) Physical Description. Timing and Routes of Migration. [4], The genus name Lagopus is derived from Ancient Greek lagos (), meaning "hare", + pous (), "foot", in reference to the bird's feathered legs. Theyre famous for being virtually invisible when they stand still against the windswept rocks, low shrubs, and snowbanks of their high-mountain habitat. They do not return to the nest. In parts of the Yukon, Canada, White-tailed Ptarmigan share habitat with the larger Rock Ptarmigan. White-tailed Ptarmigan are small, tubby grouse, snow-white in winter and twig-brown in summer. Figs. It can be found in a wide range of alpine forests in Alaska and a few high elevations in the lower 48. When the temperature tops 70F (21C) they may cool off by bathing in snow. The White-tailed Ptarmigan subsists mainly on willow buds during the winter months. Migratory Behavior. White-tailed Ptarmigan ( Lagopus leucura altipetens) Range: NA ( range map ) info. It is the smallest grouse in North America (total length 30 to 31 cm, weight 295 to 440 grams), and the only species of grouse with white tail feathers. [16], White-tailed ptarmigan males are usually monogamous and remain with the same mate for one breeding season. This bird was totally fearless of people, which It has also been in The White-tailed Ptarmigan is a grouse of alpine (above treeline) habitats. Benedict, A. D. 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