Ptarmigan (Willow) • Aqiggivik

The willow ptarmigan can be diffferentiated from the rock ptarmigan (Lagopus muta) by location/habitat (the willow ptarmigan is found in more forested areas, whereas the rock ptarmigan is found above the tree line in more barrren habitat) as well as its larger size and thicker bill.

Main photo credit: Lagopus lagopus -Nome, Alaska, USA -male-8 by Gregory Smith, 2013. https://www.flickr.com/photos/slobirdr/9672329788/in/photolist-fJHdEG-aW6rug-6rrbuN-Jzstdo-o3Wbxx-nLsCPe-nLrKYu-eNFUaz-wP7qzg-wP2pEu-w9CK8Y-otypMj-sM9bUz-bL16ya-wjj6fj-sM3AcQ-otjmUL-otB9EQ-otrHsX-otA2r6-oro7Ps-6GfaJd-wLKqUY-5v4p9i-w7n8LN-orSKf7-vNHAkJ-orRE3q-w3ZSBG-ov3ein-oxvAtH-trtRZu-ory8WY-otozAR-bNzDXv-wtdAdM-f36FZN-othweb-orS5Ns-xqF3LM-wLL1aL-wYDT4G-otk9Ev-otiarD-otieHJ-ot7ghN-otdLxu-otjVFp-ory8Dd-wGjrFB. Licenced with CC BY-SA 2.0, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0.
Second photo credit: Willow Ptarmigan - Breeding Female by D. Sikes, 2010. https://www.flickr.com/photos/alaskaent/5155882646/in/photolist-sM3AcQ-xJoTC6-otjmUL-otrHsX-21NEPPT-eHgHBd-o3PrY3-o3QbBG-UT7v5H-bzF1td-21NEPKp-otB9EQ-otA2r6-ov3ein-oxvAtH-otxHKL-otif55-bNzDXv-28jVHJ8-wtdAdM-orS5Ns-wLL1aL-oro7Ps-wLKqUY-w7n8LN-vNHAkJ-orRE3q-w3ZSBG-xggJxx-x4QdWk-otozAR-otBUj2-othweb-wYPMhH-wYDT4G-wPdjYK-xnf4Jh-xh5QZm-xgMPXB-wLVigT-xf8ydM-wmk7WF-8RBfho-xyvmFU-xDh6RH-xmC3mm-wi7b3f-x3Dor1-xaMaqE-wXvHgN. Licenced with CC BY-SA 2.0, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0.
Third photo credit: Willow Ptarmigan - Non-breeding Adult by Andy Nguyen, 2022. https://inaturalist.ca/observations/107587175. Licenced with CC BY-NC 2.0, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/2.0/.