The rock ptarmigan (Lagopus muta) is a medium-sized game bird in the grouse family. It is known simply as the ptarmigan in Europe. It is the official bird for the Canadian territory of Nunavut, [4] where it is known as the aqiggiq (ᐊᕿᒡᒋᖅ), and the official game bird for the province of Newfoundland and Labrador. [5]

The hardy Rock Ptarmigan nests as far north as there is land in the world. This chunky grouse wears two kinds of camouflage: it’s nearly all-white in the snowy winter and mottled brown in the summer.

The hardy Rock Ptarmigan nests as far north as there is land in the world. This chunky grouse wears two kinds of camouflage: it’s nearly all-white in the snowy winter and mottled brown in the summer.

Audubon’s scientists have used 140 million bird observations and sophisticated climate models to project how climate change will affect the range of the Rock Ptarmigan. Learn even more in our Audubon’s Survival By Degrees project.

The Rock ptarmigan is the official territorial bird of Nunavut, Canada. It is also the official game bird of Newfoundland and Labrador. The small population of the Rock ptarmigans living on Franz Josef Land in the Russian High Arctic overwinters during the polar night.

Plump chickenlike bird found in rocky tundra and alpine summits. Plumage changes strikingly throughout the year. In winter, both sexes are pure white with black outer tail feathers. As summer progresses, male develops cold grayish-brown feathers on head, neck, and back; generally quite splotchy looking.

The hardy Rock Ptarmigan nests as far north as there is land in the world. This chunky grouse wears two kinds of camouflage: it’s nearly all-white in the snowy winter and mottled brown in the summer.

Rock Ptarmigans inhabit arctic and alpine tundra across North America, Europe, and Asia. They prefer rocky, sparsely vegetated areas with low-growing plants. These birds are found in Alaska, northern Canada, Greenland, and mountainous regions of Scotland and Scandinavia.

Rock ptarmigan are the only Alaskan ptarmigan species to occur on the Aleutian Islands. Rock ptarmigan breed on hilly or mountainous tundra throughout Alaska. They appear to prefer very low herbaceous, and dwarf alpine plants are intermingled with …

May 10, 2017 · Rock ptarmigans (pronounced tar-mi-gun) are members of the grouse family inhabiting a vast area around the Arctic pole. They are considered a game bird and hunted by the human population for entertainment and food.