Ptarmigan

Ptarmigan

__NOTOC__:"This article deals with the European species named "Ptarmigan" known in North America as the Rock Ptarmigan. For the Willow Ptarmigan, see Willow Grouse; see also White-tailed Ptarmigan.

Taxobox
name = Ptarmigan
status = LC
status_system = iucn3.1


image_width = 250px
image_caption = Two "raichou" ("Lagopus muta japonica") in autumn plumage
regnum = Animalia
phylum = Chordata
classis = Aves
ordo = Galliformes
familia = Tetraonidae
genus = "Lagopus"
species = "L. muta"
binomial = "Lagopus muta"
binomial_authority = (Montin, 1781)
subdivision_ranks = Subspecies
subdivision = some 20-30, including:
* "L. m. muta" Taxobox_authority | author = (Montin | date = 1781) Scandinavian Ptarmigan
* "L. m. rupestris" Taxobox_authority | author = (Gmelin | date = 1789) Canadian Rock Ptarmigan
* "L. m. helvetica" Taxobox_authority | author = (Thienemann | date = 1829) Alpine Ptarmigan
* "L. m. japonica" Taxobox_authority | author = H. L. Clark | date = 1907 Japanese Ptarmigan
* "L. m. millaisi" Taxobox_authority | author = Hartert | date = 1923 Scottish Ptarmigan
synonyms =
* "Tetrao mutus" Montin, 1781
* "Lagopus mutus" ("lapsus", see below)

The Ptarmigan, "Lagopus muta" [Etymology: The Ptarmigan's genus name, "Lagopus", is derived from Ancient Greek "lagos" (λαγως), meaning "hare", + "pous" (πους), "foot", in reference to the bird's feathered legs ("see also" Snowshoe Hare). The species name "muta" comes from New Latin and means "mute", referring to the simple croaking song of the male. It was for a long time misspelt "mutus", in the erroneous belief that the ending of "Lagopus" denotes masculine gender. However, as the Ancient Greek term "λαγωπους" is of feminine gender, and the species name has to agree with that, the feminine "muta" is correct (David & Gosselin 2002). The word "ptarmigan" comes from the Scottish Gaelic "tàrmachan", which may be related to "torm" "murmur". The silent initial "p" was added in the 17th century through the influence of Greek, especially "pteron" (πτερον), "wing", "feather" or "pinion".] , is a medium-sized (31–35 cm or 12–14 inches) gamebird in the grouse family. It is known as Rock Ptarmigan, or colloquially Snow Chicken in North America, where it is the official bird for the territory of Nunavut, Canada.Cite web| url= http://www.assembly.nu.ca/english/about/ptarmigan.html |title= The Rock Ptarmigan (LAGOPUS MUTUS) Official Bird of Nunavut|author= Government of Nunavut|accessdate=2007-04-27] It is a widespread bird in the Arctic Cordillera.

It is a sedentary species, breeding across arctic and subarctic Eurasia and North America (including Greenland) on rocky mountainsides and tundra. There are isolated populations in the mountains of Scotland, the Pyrenees, the Alps, Bulgaria, the Urals, the Pamir Mountains, the Altay Mountains and Japan. During the last ice age, the species was far more widespread in continental Europe (Tomek & Bocheński 2005).

The Ptarmigan is seasonally camouflaged; its feathers moult from white in winter to brown in spring or summer. Breeding males have greyish upper parts with white wings and underparts. In winter, plumage becomes completely white except for the black tail. They can be distinguished from the winter Willow Grouse (Willow Ptarmigan in North America) by habitat—Rock Ptarmigan prefer higher elevations and more barren habitat; they are also smaller in size with a more delicate bill.

The male's "song" is a loud croaking. Because of the remote habitat they inhabit they have only a few predators, such as Golden Eagles, yet they can be surprisingly tame and approachable.

Ptarmigan feed primarily on birch and willow buds and catkins when available. They will also take various seeds, leaves, flowers and berries of other plant species. Insects are also taken by the developing young.

Folklore

In the mountains of Honshū, Japan, the Ptarmigan is called "raichou" (literally "thunder bird") and according to legend protects people and buildings from fire and thunder.

Sexual selection in males

The male rock ptarmigan's comb has been the focus of studies regarding sexual selection.

Apart from the comb, male rock-ptarmigan has no other ornaments or displays that are typical for grouses in temperate regions. Studies on other grouses have shown that much variation in comb size and colour exist between the species [Johnsgard, P. A. 1984. Grouse of the world. Bloomington, Indiana: Indiana University Press.] , and that the combs are used in courtship display, and aggressive interactions between males [Hjorth, I. 1970. Reproductive behaviour in Tetranoidae. Viltrevy, 7, 183-596.] . Many studies such as [Stokkan, K. A. 1979a. Testosterone and daylength-dependent development of comb size and breeding plumage of male willow ptarmigan (Lagopus lagopus lagopus). Auk, 96, 106-115.] have shown that there is a strong correlation between the comb size and the level of testosterone in males, and one report from 1981 [Wattson, A.&Parr, R.1981. Hormone implants affecting territory size and aggressive and sexual behaviour in red grouse. Ornis Scand., 12, 55-61.] showed that the amount of testosterone is correlated to aggressiveness against other males.

Studies on a population of male Rock Ptarmigans in Scarpa Lake, conducted by Brodsky L.M. have shown that [Brodsky, L. M. 1988. Mating tactics of male rock ptarmigan (Lagopus mutus): a consitional mating strategy. Anim Behav., 36, 335-342.] during the first year, mating success among males was influenced by comb size and condition, and bigamous males had larger combs than monogamous males. However, the correlation of size disappeared after the first year, but the correlation to comb condition remained. This is consistent with another study of the same population of L.mutus that showed that mating success overall, was correlated to comb condition. Exceptions though were first-time breeders where the size of the comb influenced mating success [Holder.K&Montgomerie.R. 1993. Context and cosequences of comb displays by male rock ptarmigan. Anim.Behav. 45, 457-470] .

Gallery

References

*|year=2004|id=47082|title=Lagopus muta|downloaded=11 May 2006 Database entry includes justification for why this species is of least concern
* (2002): The grammatical gender of avian genera. "Bull. B. O. C." 122(4): 257-282.
* (2005): Weichselian and Holocene bird remains from Komarowa Cave, Central Poland. "Acta zoologica cracoviensia" 48A(1-2): 43-65. [http://www.ingentaconnect.com/search/download?pub=infobike%3a%2f%2fisez%2fazc%2f2005%2f00000048%2fF0020001%2fart00005&mimetype=application%2fpdf PDF fulltext]

Footnotes

External links

* [http://www.gct.org.uk/gsg/grousesp/rock.htm Page from the Grouse Specialist Group]
* [http://www.bird-stamps.org/cspecies/3600600.htm Stamps: Rock Ptarmigan] (worldwide); with world RangeMap
* [http://ibc.hbw.com/ibc/phtml/especie.phtml?idEspecie=947 Ptarmigan videos] on the Internet Bird Collection
* [http://www.rspb.org.uk/wildlife/birdguide/name/p/ptarmigan/index.asp RSPB]
* [http://vireo.acnatsci.org/search.html?Form=Search&SEARCHBY=Common&KEYWORDS=rock+ptarmigan&showwhat=images&AGE=All&SEX=All&ACT=All&Search=Search&VIEW=All&ORIENTATION=All&RESULTS=24 Rock Ptarmigan-"Lagopus muta" photo gallery] VIREO


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Look at other dictionaries:

  • ptarmigan — ● ptarmigan nom masculin (anglais ptarmigan) Nom donné à un type de grouse. ⇒PTARMIGAN, subst. masc. ZOOL. Perdrix blanche des montagnes et des contrées arctiques; p. méton., viande de cet animal. Synon. plus usuel lagopède. Souper d un bon… …   Encyclopédie Universelle

  • Ptarmigan — Ptar mi*gan, n. [Gael. tarmachan; cf. Ir. tarmochan, tarmonach.] (Zo[ o]l.) Any grouse of the genus {Lagopus}, of which numerous species are known. The feet are completely feathered. Most of the species are brown in summer, but turn white, or… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • ptarmigan — [tär′mi gən] n. pl. ptarmigans or ptarmigan [altered (by assoc. with PTERO ) < earlier termigan < Scot tarmachan] any of a genus (Lagopus) of brownish arctic, subarctic, or alpine grouse with feathered legs and feet, usually having white… …   English World dictionary

  • Ptarmigan — Ptarmigan, das Schneehuhn …   Pierer's Universal-Lexikon

  • ptarmigan — bird of the grouse family, 1590s, from Gael. tarmachan, of unknown origin. The PT (Cf. pt ) spelling (1680s) is a mistaken Greek construction …   Etymology dictionary

  • ptarmigan — ► NOUN ▪ a grouse of northern mountains and the Arctic, having grey and black plumage which changes to white in winter. ORIGIN Scottish Gaelic tàrmachan …   English terms dictionary

  • ptarmigan — /tahr mi geuhn/, n., pl. ptarmigans, (esp. collectively) ptarmigan. any of several grouses of the genus Lagopus, of mountainous and cold northern regions, having feathered feet. [1590 1600; pseudo Gk sp. of ScotGael tarmarchan, akin to Ir… …   Universalium

  • ptarmigan — (ptar mi gan) s. m. Nom d un oiseau des contrées arctiques. SUPPLÉMENT AU DICTIONNAIRE    PTARMIGAN. Ajoutez : REM. Le ptarmigan se trouve en deçà des contrées arctiques. •   Toute la contrée [les Highlands d Ecosse] a été atteinte d une épidémie …   Dictionnaire de la Langue Française d'Émile Littré

  • ptarmigan — [16] Ptarmigan was borrowed from Scottish Gaelic tarmachan, a diminutive form of tarmach ‘ptarmigan’. There is no etymological justification for the spelling pt . It was foisted on the word in the late 17th century in the erroneous belief that it …   The Hutchinson dictionary of word origins

  • ptarmigan — [16] Ptarmigan was borrowed from Scottish Gaelic tarmachan, a diminutive form of tarmach ‘ptarmigan’. There is no etymological justification for the spelling pt . It was foisted on the word in the late 17th century in the erroneous belief that it …   Word origins

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