Species:

Willow Ptarmigan (Lagopus lagopus)

Rock Ptarmigan (Lagopus muta)

Change species:
Main Images:
Length (cm):
37-42
34-36
Wingspan (cm):
55-66
54-60
Weight (gram):
450-750
350-600
Size group:
Crow-size
Crow-size
Main Texts:
Appearance:

Slightly bigger and more heavy build than Ptarmigan, with clearly heavier bill. Summer plumage warm brown above with white belly, showing a warmer brown than Ptarmigan. Winter plumage all white in both sexes, except for black tail. Males lacking black lores. Wings always white in all plumages in nominate ssp. lagopus, and brown in ssp. scotica.

Sound:

Very characteristic calls: "Kuwa -Kuwa -Kuwa" (go back!) Also: "kauw kauwkkkrrrkekekekekeke" with a short pause after first "kauw", then a decelerating cackle, often followed by the "go back" call.

Song:

Error loading Flash for sound!
See sound file


Distribution:

Wikipedia: map (se also Xeno-canto below)

Ecology:

Birdlife ecology

Links:

Observation.org Latest observations

Video IBC

Image search Flickr NB! May give other species

Sound search at Xeno-canto

CC

CC-sound:Terje Kolaas, Licence,Link.

Appearance:

Slightly smaller and less heavy than Willow Ptarmigan. Overall greyer plumage, and a more delicate bill. Male summer with grey upperparts and white underparts. Female summer with browner upperparts than male. Both sexes completely white in winter plumage, except for black lores in males. Wings white and tail feathers black in all plumages in both sexes.

Sound:

Call of male a very distinct "rrrrrrr", being a rattling rapid pulse of clicks, like running a stick along a picket fence. Female has similar sounds, but is higher pitched and not so coarse as male.

Flushed:

Error loading Flash for sound!
See sound file


Distribution:

Wikipedia: map (se also Xeno-canto below)

Ecology:

Birdlife ecology

Links:

Observation.org Latest observations

Video IBC

Image search Flickr NB! May give other species

Sound search at Xeno-canto

Featherbase

CC

CC-photo:fveronesi1, Licence,Link,

CC-sound:Peter Boesman, Licence,Link.

Similar species (image):
Similar species (sound):
Silhouette Group:
Grouse-like
Silhouette
Grouse-like
Silhouette
Several different images of the species
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Several different sounds of the species
Error loading Flash for sound!
See sound file
Error loading Flash for sound!
See sound file
Error loading Flash for sound!
See sound file
Error loading Flash for sound!
See sound file