Rock Ptarmigan
Lagopus muta
The adult rock ptarmigan lives in Arctic tundra and high mountain habitats, often staying near rocky slopes, dwarf shrubs, and snowfields. It feeds mainly on buds, leaves, berries, seeds, and catkins, switching diet with the seasons. Rather than relying on long flight, it usually walks, crouches, and blends into its surroundings, flushing in short explosive flights when pressed. Its plumage changes from mottled brown in summer to mostly white in winter, one of the clearest seasonal camouflage shifts among birds.
- Type
- Stealth
- Conservation status
- LC
Growth chain
- ?
- ?
- Rock Ptarmigan