Species: Lagopus leucura
White-tailed Ptarmigan
Species
Show on Lists
Encyclopedia of Puget Sound
Classification
Kingdom
Animalia
Phylum
Craniata
Class
Aves
Order
Galliformes
Family
Phasianidae
Genus
Lagopus
NatureServe
Classification
Other Global Common Names
lagopède à queue blanche
Informal Taxonomy
Animals, Vertebrates - Birds - Other Birds
Formal Taxonomy
Animalia - Craniata - Aves - Galliformes - Phasianidae - Lagopus - Ellsworth et al. (1995) examined phylogenetic relationships among North American grouse based on mtDNA data and found that FALCIPENNIS CANADENSIS is more closely related to BONASA UMBELLUS (ruffed grouse) than to DENDRAGAPUS OBSCURUS (blue grouse), which is allied with LAGOPUS (ptarmigan) and TETRAO (capercaillie, a European grouse).
Ecology and Life History
Migration
true - false - false
Non-migrant
true
Locally Migrant
false
Food Comments
Winter diet alder catkins, willow buds and twigs (primary winter food in Colorado is willow buds); also buds and needles of spruces, pines, and firs. Spring and summer diet leaves and flowers of herbaceous plants, willow buds, berries, seeds, and insects.
Reproduction Comments
Female incubates 4-7, sometimes 3-9, eggs for 22-23 days (Harrison 1978). Nestlings are precocial and downy. Brood size in Sierra Nevada averaged 2.6-2.8; brood size in five areas in Colorado was 3.2-4.5; brood size at flight age in Montana was 3.3-3.5. Young are guarded by both parents, capable of flying in about 10 days. Monogamous. In the Sierra Nevada, reproductive success decreased with increasing spring snow depth (Condor 94:622-627).
Ecology Comments
Broods stay together in family groups until following spring (Harrison 1978). Sedentary. In the Sierra Nevada, overall density was 4.4-5.7/100 ha in breeding season, 4.7-7.1/100 ha postbreeding; density within occupied habitat was 10.5-14.2/100 ha in breeding season, 21.8-27.7/100 ha postbreeding; number of breeding pairs was 1.8/100 ha and 2.8/100 ha in two areas (Frederick and Gutierrez 1992). Overall breeding density at Logan Pass, Montana, was 6.8/100 ha; density within suitable habitat was 19.3/100 ha; 10.6/100 ha postbreeding. In Colorado, breeding density in three unhunted populations was 9.6-11.9/100 ha; 15.7-23.4 postbreeding (see Frederick and Gutierrez 1992). In Colorado, winter home ranges of 17 females averaged 1.62 sq km (4 of these averaged 2.44 sq km); those of 2 males averaged 0.44 sq km; winter density averaged 10-20 birds/sq km (Giesen and Braun 1992).
Length
32
Weight
348
Conservation Status
NatureServe Global Status Rank
G5
Global Status Last Reviewed
1996-11-25
Global Status Last Changed
1996-11-25
Other Status
LC - Least concern
Distribution
Conservation Status Map
<img src="http://www.natureserve.org/explorer/servlet/GetMapGif?CA.AB=S5&CA.BC=S5&CA.NT=SU&CA.YT=S4&US.AK=S4&US.CA=SE&US.CO=S4&US.MT=S3&US.NN=S1&US.NM=S1&US.OR=SE&US.UT=SE&US.WA=S3&US.WY=S1" alt="Conservation Status Map" style="width: 475px; height: auto;" />
Global Range
RESIDENT: central Alaska, northern Yukon, southwestern Mackenzie, south to Kenai Peninsula; Vancouver Island, Canada, Cascade Mountains in Washington, and in Rocky Mountains from British Columbia and Alberta south to northern New Mexico; introduced and established outside native range in high central Sierra Nevada in California (see Frederick and Gutierrez [1992] for account of release and range expansion); releases also have been made in the Wallowa Mountains in Oregon, Pike's Peak in Colorado, and Uintah Mountains in Utah.