White-tailed ptarmigan
| White-tailed ptarmigan | ||||||||||||
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White-tailed ptarmigan ( Lagopus leucura ) |
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| Lagopus leucura | ||||||||||||
| ( Richardson , 1831) |
The white-tailed ptarmigan ( Lagopus leucura ) is a species from the genus of grouse ( Lagopus ) within the family of pheasant-like (Phasianidae). The white-tailed ptarmigan is the smallest species of the genus and occurs only in a relatively limited area in the Rocky Mountains . There are five subspecies.
Appearance
The white-tailed ptarmigan reaches a body length of 31 to 34 centimeters. Males weigh an average of 1,300 grams. Females are significantly lighter and weigh an average of 840 grams. The body is plump, the tail is relatively narrow. The crest on the head that occurs in both sexes is strikingly red in spring. The beak is short and black. The irises are dark brown. The feet are thickly feathered up to the toes. In the northern Rocky Mountains the range overlaps widely with that of the willow grouse and that of the very similar rock ptarmigan . It differs from both species in the summer dress by having several white feathers on the outer edge of the tail. The winter plumage of the white-tailed ptarmigan is pure white, while the outer black feathers of the other two species are black. In addition, the white-tailed ptarmigan is smaller and relatively more delicate. In the Rocky Mountains there are five other grouse, especially the females of which can be quite similar to ptarmigan. However, they inhabit other habitats, such as forests and bushland, and never have white wing tops.
Distribution area and habitat
The distribution area of the white-tailed ptarmigan is western North America from central Alaska and the Yukon over the Rocky Mountains and the coastal areas of British Columbia to the US states of Washington and Montana, Wyoming, Colorado and New Mexico. Introduced populations of this species are also found in California, Colorado, New Mexico, Oregon, and Utah. In Canada and Alaska, all three species of ptarmigan can be found in the same area. There, however, the willow grouse inhabit the tree border zone in the lower elevations, the rock ptarmigan the area a few hundred meters from the tree line upwards and the white-tailed snow grouse the areas even higher. For example, in the interior of Alaska, the ptarmigan is restricted to a height between 30 and 300 m, the white-tailed ptarmigan ranges from 150 to 1000 m. The white-tailed ptarmigan almost exclusively uses the alpine tundra at high altitudes as a habitat. In the southern Rocky Mountains, too, the species occurs predominantly above the tree line. The occurrence of willow and ash largely determines the distribution. In winter it eats the catkins of these species as well as the birch trees.
Way of life
White-tailed ptarmigan mostly live in pairs or loose chains. During the breeding season they occur almost exclusively in pairs. Both sexes defend their breeding territory during this time. The breeding season falls in the period from late April. The eggs are laid from late May to July. The female breeds alone. The breeding season is 24 to 26 days.
supporting documents
literature
- Steve Madge , Phil McGowan, and Guy M. Kirwan: Pheasants, Partridges and Grouse. A Guide to the Pheasants, Partridges, Quails, Grouse, Guineafowl, Buttonquails and Sandgrouse of the world. Christopher Helm, London 2002, ISBN 0-7136-3966-0 .
Single receipts
- ↑ Madge et al., P. 367
Web links
- Lagopus leucura inthe IUCN 2013 Red List of Threatened Species . Listed by: BirdLife International, 2012. Retrieved September 4, 2013.