Willow Ptarmigan

The willow ptarmigan is a stocky, feather-footed grouse of cold northern regions. In summer, adults are marbled brown and reddish with a black tail and white wings; in winter, most of the plumage becomes white while the outer tail feathers remain black. Males show red combs above the eyes, especially during breeding. Adults are about thirty-five to forty-four centimetres long, span roughly sixty to sixty-five centimetres and weigh 430–810 grams. A thicker bill helps distinguish it from the rock ptarmigan. (Wikipedia, general species account)

The species occupies tundra, moorland, sparse birch or pine forest, willow and alder thickets, and subalpine slopes across northern Eurasia and North America. Adults are herbivorous, eating leaves, flowers, buds, seeds and berries in summer and relying heavily on woody buds and twigs in winter; chicks also take insects. Four to ten eggs are laid in a ground scrape. Young leave soon after hatching, and both parents may defend them. Several recognised subspecies occur in western, northern and northeastern Mongolia. (Wikipedia, general species account)