This willow ptarmigan taxidermy mount is an outstanding exhibit of the Uray City Historical Museum. The bird was mounted in 2019 and placed in a setting with faux bark, small red berries and a pine branch with green needles.
The willow ptarmigan is a bird in the grouse subfamily Tetraoninae of the pheasant family Phasianidae. The adult length varies between 35 and 38 centimeters, and the weight is 400 to 700 grams. The willow ptarmigan can be distinguished from the closely related Phasianidae by a pronounced seasonal dimorphism: its plumage colors depend on the time of the year.
In winter, the birds are white, except for the black outer rectrices. In summer and autumn, both males and females are reddish-brown or dappled — gray with wavy lines, dark spots and stripes.
Females are slightly smaller than males, less heavy and change color earlier. The birds breed in habitats where there is abundant shrubby vegetation, as they feed mainly on plant foods. The willow ptarmigan is a ground-dwelling bird, only rarely getting off the ground.
The willow ptarmigan is adapted to a terrestrial way of life: it runs fast and its coloration serves as effective camouflage. In most cases, the birds inhabit zones where winter lasts from six to nine months. During a severe winter, the willow ptarmigan digs snow burrows and tunnels both to search for food and to escape from predators.
Willow ptarmigan are gregarious birds and they break into pairs only during the breeding season. They form large flocks numbering up to 300 birds during migration, and in winter, they usually keep in small groups of up to 15 birds.
Willow ptarmigan are primarily herbivorous: 97–98% of their diet is comprised of plant matter. In winter, the birds eat buds and shoots of woody plants, especially willows and birches; in summer, they feed on leaves, seeds and berries.
By late May, willow ptarmigan lays the first eggs, which are usually pale yellow and have speckles. One female can lay a clutch of up to ten eggs. The incubation period is quite long and lasts for at least 20 days. Only females incubate and they do not leave the nest. In the wild, the birds rarely live more than four years. Several predators of willow ptarmigan populations include gyrfalcons, peregrine falcons, owls, and kites.
The willow ptarmigan is a bird in the grouse subfamily Tetraoninae of the pheasant family Phasianidae. The adult length varies between 35 and 38 centimeters, and the weight is 400 to 700 grams. The willow ptarmigan can be distinguished from the closely related Phasianidae by a pronounced seasonal dimorphism: its plumage colors depend on the time of the year.
In winter, the birds are white, except for the black outer rectrices. In summer and autumn, both males and females are reddish-brown or dappled — gray with wavy lines, dark spots and stripes.
Females are slightly smaller than males, less heavy and change color earlier. The birds breed in habitats where there is abundant shrubby vegetation, as they feed mainly on plant foods. The willow ptarmigan is a ground-dwelling bird, only rarely getting off the ground.
The willow ptarmigan is adapted to a terrestrial way of life: it runs fast and its coloration serves as effective camouflage. In most cases, the birds inhabit zones where winter lasts from six to nine months. During a severe winter, the willow ptarmigan digs snow burrows and tunnels both to search for food and to escape from predators.
Willow ptarmigan are gregarious birds and they break into pairs only during the breeding season. They form large flocks numbering up to 300 birds during migration, and in winter, they usually keep in small groups of up to 15 birds.
Willow ptarmigan are primarily herbivorous: 97–98% of their diet is comprised of plant matter. In winter, the birds eat buds and shoots of woody plants, especially willows and birches; in summer, they feed on leaves, seeds and berries.
By late May, willow ptarmigan lays the first eggs, which are usually pale yellow and have speckles. One female can lay a clutch of up to ten eggs. The incubation period is quite long and lasts for at least 20 days. Only females incubate and they do not leave the nest. In the wild, the birds rarely live more than four years. Several predators of willow ptarmigan populations include gyrfalcons, peregrine falcons, owls, and kites.
