The White-Tailed Ptarmigan

TheCuriousSeed

I myself have never seen a ptarmigan beyond a form of media, but isn't this a cute white-tailed ptarmigan?


And this one almost perfectly matches the snow!


And let's not forget about this one!


And even this one looks majestic in the snow!


And this one... looks like he's getting ready for the summer!


And she's out for a stroll in a lush field.


And let's not forget this covey of three. Seems these girls are looking for something from afar.

The easiest way to tell a boy ptarmigan from a girl I know of is by the eyes. Every last ptarmigan in winter plumage here is a girl because only the boys have red eyecombs above their eyes. White-tailed ptarmigan are the smallest grouses around and thankfully still abundant in population. Wouldn't we be a little under half as tall as a white-tailed ptarmigan is long, given they average just near a foot and we average around five inches (31 cm & 127 mm, respectively)?