White-tailed Ptarmigan

A white-tailed ptarmigan in fully-white winter plumage. A ptarmigan displaying its natural camouflage, matching the patterns of the lichen covered rock of its environment.

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. At first they eat insects but later move on to an adult diet, their mother using vocalisations to help them find suitable plant food. The population seems to be stable and the IUCN lists this species as being of Least Concern.