Willow Ptarmigan (Lagopus lagopus), in transitional plumage, family Phasianidae, Alaska

photograph by Kristina Ellis

Rock Ptarmigan

for a project called "Disappearing Birds of North America" organized by Jen Delos Reyes

if you want to see the process for this it's up on my patreon!

MORE FANTASY BIRDS. Going for that eight-character rpg party feel

PTARMIGAN!!!!

@todaysbird

Animal of the Day!

Rock Ptarmigan (Lagopus muta)

(Photo by Cameron Eckert)

Conservation Status- Least Concern

Habitat- Greenland; Iceland; Northern North North America; Northern Asia

Size (Weight/Length)- 600 g; 35 cm; 60 cm wingspan

Diet- Leaves; Flowers; Berries; Seeds; Plant buds

Cool Facts- The rock ptarmigan is one of the only birds to have the ability to change color. These grouse are brown in summer and slowly switch to white over a period of several weeks once snow begins to fall. Instead of migrating south when temperatures drop, rock ptarmigan shelter down and brave the storm. Unable to store large amounts of fat like other overwintering birds, rock ptarmigan are forced to constantly eat to stay warm. Males sport bright red eye combs that are used to gain mates. The brighter the color, the healthier the rock ptarmigan, and the more likely he is to pass on his genes.

Rating- 11/10 (I still have no idea how to pronounce their name.)

New OC I'm designing cause I was inspired by a dumb song.

Ptarmigan museum exhibit. The Popular science monthly. 1903.

Internet Archive

day 8

today's bird is the willow ptarmigan! (nonbreeding plumage)

- flocks of willow ptarmigans can be as large as 2,200!!

- the genus and species name for willow ptarmigan, lagopus, means "hare-footed" in greek 🐇

- willow ptarmigans love to play !!

- male willow ptarmigans regularly help raise their young

Ptarmigan!! A little puffball and an even littler puffball!!

[ID: an illustration of an adult ptarmagin with a chick, on a mottled blue background with some stylized leaves. The adult is a round, white bird with red eyebrows, and the chick is a little fuzzy brown striped bird standing to its left. End.]

Warm Winter Greetings from Ptarmigan Post!

As a special holiday promotion, from now until 12/31/23 all orders from my Ko-fi shop include a free copy of this riso-printed postcard while supplies last. This postcard is also available to purchase individually if you want extra copies or just the card itself!

(If you ordered something from me recently and it shipped today don't fret...you also got a postcard).

rotund

Willow Ptarmigan (Lagopus lagopus), male, in winter plumage, family Phasianidae, Alaska

photograph via: Bering Land Bridge National Preserve

did you know ptarmigans will fly into snowbanks instead of walk so that it's harder for predators to track them?

(📸 Kyle Thomas)

I'm gonna be taking a small break from tumblr for mental health reasons, for any commission info please message me on discord! @kosaciec

Source details and larger version.

Japan and Japanese art of old: see my Japan gallery.

New OC, Raichi! His nickname is Lychee.