The white-tailed ptarmigan, also called the snow quail, is the smallest bird in the grouse family. It lives year round at high altitudes on or above the tree line in Alaska and the mountainous parts of Canada and the western United States. Its plumage changes with the seasons: speckled gray, brown and white in summer and entirely white in winter, with white wings, belly and tail at all times of year. It feeds on buds, leaves, flowers and seeds, nests in a simple depression on the ground where it lays up to eight eggs, and its chicks leave the nest soon after hatching, eating insects at first before moving to the adult plant diet with guidance from their mother's calls. The IUCN lists the species as Least Concern, with an apparently stable population. This description is adapted from Wikipedia contributors under CC BY-SA 4.0; changes were made. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/
Facts
Classification
System (Realm) Relationship to People Living or Extinct Comparison
NatureServe Rank CITES Appendix Scientific Name Conservation Status Connections
Child Taxon Of
Source White-tailed ptarmigan (Wikidata)
In Biome
Tundra, Biomes Source Animal Diversity Web, University of Michigan Museum of Zoology: Lagopus leucura (Animal Diversity Web)
In the Other Atlases
Found In
Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.
Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.
Sources
1. EltonTraits 1.0 (Wilman et al. 2014)
2. White-tailed ptarmigan (Wikipedia)
Introduction
At first they eat insects but later move on to an adult diet, their mother using vocalisations to help them find suitable plant food. The population seems to be stable and the IUCN lists this species as being of Least Concern.
Habitat and distribution
It is a permanent resident of high altitudes on or above the tree line and is native to Alaska and the mountainous parts of Canada and the western United States.
View the Source3. Animal Diversity Web, University of Michigan Museum of Zoology: Lagopus leucura (Animal Diversity Web)
Animal Diversity Web, University of Michigan Museum of ZoologyConservation Status: CITES
CITES No special status
Economic Importance for Humans
L. leucurus may be hunted.
In Biome: Tundra, Habitat: Terrestrial Biomes
Terrestrial Biomes tundra tundra mountains mountains
View the Source 4. White-tailed ptarmigan (Wikidata)
Wikidata- Wikidata Q19055 (P225 taxon name)
Statements section, conservation status (P141)
IUCN Red List conservation status (Wikidata property P141): least concern.
- Child Taxon Of: Galliformes, Wikidata parent-taxon (P171) chain
View the Source 5. NatureServe Explorer: Lagopus leucura
NatureServe ExplorerGlobal rank (roundedGRank)
"roundedGRank": "G5"
Species characteristics: habitat
"terrestrialHabitatDescEn": "Alpine"
View the Source Reader Challenges (0)
No disputes yet. Spotted an error or a better source? Open the first one.
Sign in to dispute this or suggest a correction.