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Willow Ptarmigan (female and chicks)

Lagopus lagopus

Published on Project Noah
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63.2319, -151.041

Field Notes

Description:

This female Ptarmigan was crossing the road with her 7 chicks. It was a very slow process (see the crouch/pause position of photo 4) until the mom was near the other side when she finally ran. The female is brown, back and white with white, feathery legs. The chicks have white spots and stripes on the wings.
Male can be seen at my other spotting: http://www.projectnoah.org/spottings/35925025

Habitat:

Dirt road in Taiga forest at Denali National Park and Preserve.

Reference Links:

Willow Ptarmigan, Identification, All About Birds - Cornell Lab of Ornithology

Species ID Suggestions

Comments (4)
CindyBinghamKeiser
It was so fun to watch them cross the road! It was a long but adorable process :)
CindyBinghamKeiser
Thank you! I really loved the wildlife in Alaska and hope to return soon.
The MnMs
The babies are so cute! really nice spottings Cindy, many thanks for sharing here! :-)

Spotted for Missions

Mission
Birds of the World
Mission
Mission WILD
Mission
Great Alaskan Challenge
Mission
National Geographic's Great Nature Project

Tags

Photographed
PublishedAugust 3, 2013

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