Author: J.K. Ullrich, Bird TLC volunteer
The first six gifts in the carol “The Twelve Days of Christmas” are birds (seven, if you consider that “five golden rings” may have originally referred to goldfinches or the ringed plumage on a pheasant’s neck). To celebrate the holiday season, BirdTLC is reimagining the lyrics with native Alaskan birds. Visit our blog every week until the end of December for fun, festive facts about wildlife.
Some people give their paramours “three French hens”, but Alaska presents birdwatchers with different members of the order Galliformes: three species of ptarmigan. Although related to chicken-like birds such as grouse, ptarmigan comprise a genus all their own. The word ptarmigan comes from the Scottish Gaelic “tàrmachan,” the old name for Willow Ptarmigan in the northern British Isles. Early ornithologists, mistakenly believing the word had Greek origins, added a “p”.
Willow and Rock ptarmigan live in Europe and North America, while the White-tailed ptarmigan resides exclusively on the latter continent. Sometimes all three species can be found on a single mountain, although altitude separates their habitats. Willow ptarmigan live closest to the timberline. Rock ptarmigan claim the middle slopes and low ridges. White-tails make their homes high among rocky screes close to glaciers and snowfields.
The Willow Ptarmigan is the largest of the trio. Its scientific name, Lagopus lagopus, means “rabbit foot.” The bird’s large, fluffy feet retain heat in winter and act like snowshoes to help the ptarmigan walk atop snow. Long, sharp talons also get traction on icy ground. Alaskan school children chose the Willow Ptarmigan as the state bird in 1955.
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Adult willow ptarmigan in Denali National Park.
Photo atribution: Yathin S Krishnappa, CC BY-SA 3.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0>, via Wikimedia Commons
White-tailed Ptarmigan are camouflage specialists, with snowy plumage in winter and twig-colored feathers in summer. They nest above the timberline in the alpine tundra, and are the only birds in North America that spend their entire life cycle at such high elevations. Perhaps this is why they generally prefer walking over flight: it may conserve energy in their harsh habitat.
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White-tailed Ptarmigan, Loveland Pass, CO.
Photo attribution: Ron Knight from Seaford, East Sussex, United Kingdom, CC BY 2.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0>, via Wikimedia Commons
Rock Ptarmigan occur throughout Alaska, and are the only ptarmigan species on the Aleutian Islands. Some ornithologists have suggested that the the evermanni subspecies, found on Attu and Agattu, should be recognized as a unique species. Unlike their mainland cousins, Aleutian rock ptarmigan range down to coastal areas.
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A pair of Rock Ptarmigan in Norway.
Photo attribution: Jan Frode Haugseth, CC BY-SA 3.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0>, via Wikimedia Commons
Winter is a sociable season for Ptarmigan. Moving between patches of shelter and food, they often roost together in the snow. Spring sends flocks in their thousands back to breeding grounds. Males of all three species defend territories, but only Willow ptarmigan males stay to care for the family; they will even take charge of the brood if their mate dies. Among Rock and White-tailed ptarmigans, the females alone raise the chicks. Hens lead their broods around various locations, usually within half a mile of the nest. In crowded nesting areas, some chicks may wind up with different families!
The dynamics of Ptarmigan populations, known for extremes of abundance and scarcity, are not well-understood. But one risk to their survival is climate change. Prolonged snow-free periods leave the birds’ molts out of sync with their surroundings: a white bird against spring earth makes an easier target for predators. Stewardship of the planet is the best gift we can give these tough little birds.
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