White-tailed Ptarmigan

About the White-tailed Ptarmigan

The white-tailed ptarmigan (Lagopus leucura), 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.

Source: Wikipedia

Classification

Scientific name

Lagopus leucura

Family

Pheasants, Grouse, and Allies

Order

Galliformes

Similar species

Other members of the pheasants, grouse, and allies family recorded in North America — a useful place to start if you are not certain of your identification.

• Black Francolin Francolinus francolinus
• Blue-breasted Quail Synoicus chinensis
• Brown Quail Synoicus ypsilophorus
• Chukar Alectoris chukar
• Common Quail Coturnix coturnix
• Dusky Grouse Dendragapus obscurus
• Erckel's Spurfowl Pternistis erckelii
• Golden Pheasant Chrysolophus pictus
• Gray Francolin Ortygornis pondicerianus
• Gray Partridge Perdix perdix
• Gray Peacock-Pheasant Polyplectron bicalcaratum
• Greater Prairie-Chicken Tympanuchus cupido