Ptarmigan of Britain

The Ptarmigan, Lagopus muta, is the smallest species of grouse in Britain and only found in the higher altitudes, or arctic-alpine zone, of the Scottish Highlands.

Ptarmigans prefer to live in the cold and harsh rocky terrain of mountains where there are snow and open ground. The Ptarmigan is also known as the Rock Ptarmigan.

Ornithologists believe the future of Ptarmigans is threatened by warmer weather due to climate change.

Ptarmigans have adapted to the mountainous lifestyle by moulting three times a year.

The male is barred with grey-brown and black in the summer. The underparts and wings are white. The patch above the eye becomes red during the breeding season.

The dark plumage of the male is replaced with grey in the autumn. Males turn completely snow-white in the winter except for a dark eye patch and tail.

Females are similar to males except for becoming browner during the summer and autumn. They lack the dark eye patch in winter (British Birds – pictures of male and female - https://britishbirds.co.uk/article/ptarmigan-english-lake-district/ ).

The feet and legs of Ptarmigans are covered in feathers which insulate them against freezing temperatures.

The breeding age of the Ptarmigan is six months. Their average lifespan is between three and four years

Ptarmigans live in the highest ground of mountains where there are snow and open areas of ground with little vegetation. They live and breed among the bare rocks and scattered boulders.

The camouflage of Ptarmigans makes them difficult to see and are more often heard on the mountainsides (Guardian - https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2017/mar/10/ptarmigan-in-camouflage-a-daunting-quest).

The call of the male is a series of clicks while the female makes a cooing sound.

Pairs of Ptarmigans are found in the summer and family parties during the autumn. Flocks are formed during the winter which disperse during the spring, or March.

The main diet of the Ptarmigan is vegetarian. They eat the leaves, buds, berries and seeds of a wide range of plants which includes heather, crowberry, bilberry, birch and dwarf willow. Chicks and young eat insects in the summer.

Ptarmigans are ground feeding birds who use their feathered feet to dig and scratch for food in the frozen ground.

The stronghold of the Ptarmigan is Scotland where they are widespread across the higher ground of the Scottish Highlands. They are also common on Skye, Mull, Jura and Arran.

The range of the Ptarmigan has contracted in Scotland as there are no records of these birds breeding in the south-west since the nineteenth century. The same pattern occurred on the islands of Rum, Harris and Roy during the twentieth century.

They are fairly tame birds around humans who crouch on the ground rather than fly away if alarmed.

Ptarmigans are tough birds who can withstand the coldest temperatures of the mountainous lifestyle. They normally roost in the snow during both the summer and winter.

Some move to the shelter on the edges of forests when the winter weather is severe.

Males defend a breeding territory and declare their ownership with a song-flight and clicking calls. Pairs are only formed during the breeding season, or April and May.

Most pairs are monogamous while some males pair with several females.

The nest is a scrape in the ground made by the male and female, usually under a tree, shrub or boulder. One of the scrapes is lined with small amounts of leaves, grass and other vegetation.

Five to eight eggs are laid by the females which hatch after 3 weeks. The chicks leave the nest almost immediately as they can feed themselves. 

Males leave before the eggs hatch and the young are cared for by the female.

The young learn to fly within 15 days and become independent after 10 and 12 weeks.

Ptarmigans in Scotland rarely move far from their breeding sites. 

The Ptarmigan is classified as Least Concern by IUCN.

Europe holds only 10% of the global population and is classified as a Near Threatened species of bird. The population decreased by “30% in 12.6 years” (Birdlife International).

The Ptarmigan is a green-listed species of bird in Britain.

Scottish Ptarmigans are very sensitive to changes in their environment such as disturbance by grazing cattle and sheep, tourists, unusual weather events and increases in crows and other predators.

The British Trust for Ornithology said rubbish left on mountains by tourists is becoming an important factor in the decline of the Ptarmigan. The rubbish attracts crows who also attack and eat the chicks of Ptarmigans.

The remote lifestyle of the Ptarmigan makes them difficult to study.

Project Ptarmigan was set up in 2005 by the British Trust for Ornithology and the Scottish Ornithologists' Club.

The results showed the highest numbers were found in the Cairngorms in the Scottish Highlands.

The population is known to experience “highs and lows”. Studies of Scottish Ptarmigans suggested they have suffered a long term decline.

Ptarmigans rely on the specialised habitat provided by the Scottish Highlands. Their numbers could decline further in the future because of warmer weather due to climate change.

General threats to the Ptarmigan include loss of habitat due to overgrazing by sheep, mountain tourism such as the building of ski resorts and climate change.

Hunting was not a factor in the decline of the European or British populations. Sadly, Ptarmigans can still be legally shot in the UK.

For more information on the birds of the gardens and countryside of Britain and Ireland, please visit

http://bird4u.mzzhost.com/index.html

Interesting Articles

BTO – Survey In Scotland - https://www.bto.org/sites/default/files/shared_documents/publications/research-reports/2007/rr473.pdf

References

RSPB Handbook of Scottish Birds by Peter Holden, and Stuart Housden