Details
Lagopus muta
The rock ptarmigan is a cold-country grouse of Arctic and alpine habitats. Its plumage changes with the seasons, blending with snow and rock.
Map: Ecoregions 2017 © RESOLVE (CC BY 4.0) · Natural Earth (PD)
It uses tundra, alpine dwarf pine zones, and rocky open ground around the Arctic and across Palearctic and Nearctic highlands. Low shrubs and herbs provide food and cover.
Length is 34-36 cm and weight 350-600 g. Winter plumage is mostly white, while summer plumage is mottled brown and grey; feathered toes help on snow.
Diurnal birds often form loose groups outside the breeding season. They walk while feeding and escape low over the ground toward rocks or cover.
A herbivore, it eats buds, leaves, flowers, berries, and seeds. In winter it relies on exposed shrub buds and twig tips above the snow.
The nest is a shallow scrape on the ground, incubated by the female. Precocial chicks walk soon after hatching and peck at small plants and insects.
It is listed as Least Concern. Local populations are closely tied to cold open habitats and can be affected by changes in snow and alpine vegetation.
