Ptarmigan
Lagopus muta
The Ptarmigan is a rare and elusive bird in Britain, typically seen in the Scottish Highlands, particularly in the Cairngorms and other high-altitude areas with suitable tundra-like habitats, usually during the summer months. It is a ground-dwelling bird that inhabits remote, rocky, and heather-covered moorlands.
Field Identification Guide
Use these features to identify Ptarmigan in the field.
The Ptarmigan can be identified by its stocky build, short tail, and distinctive white wings and belly, with a mottled brown back and white patches on its forehead and throat. Its legs and feet are also feathered, a unique adaptation to its cold, high-altitude habitat.
The Ptarmigan is slightly smaller than a Grey Partridge, with a length of around 35-40 cm.
The male Ptarmigan has a brown plumage in summer, with a white belly, wings, and patches on its forehead and throat, which turns completely white in winter, allowing it to camouflage in the snow.
The female Ptarmigan has a similar plumage to the male, but with a more mottled and less pure white colouration, especially on the belly and wings.
The Ptarmigan's call is a low, guttural "go-back" or "kraa-kraa" sound, often repeated in a series of short, sharp notes.
Ptarmigans are ground-dwelling birds that feed on vegetation, including leaves, shoots, and seeds, and have a distinctive, slow, and deliberate gait, with a tendency to freeze in place when alarmed, relying on their camouflage for protection.
The Ptarmigan can be confused with the Red Grouse, but can be distinguished by its white wings and belly, and its more mottled and less reddish-brown plumage, as well as its higher-altitude habitat and more limited range in Britain.
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