Grouse (Tetraonidae)
Rock Ptarmigan (Lagopus mutus) - HBW 2, p. 403
French: Lagopède alpin
German: Alpenschneehuhn
Spanish: Lagópodo Alpino
Taxonomy: Tetrao mutus Montin, 1776, Sweden.
Occasional hybrids known with L. lagopus, Tetrao tetrix and Bonasa bonasia. Very complex internal taxonomy, largely due to complicated moults. Many races vary only slightly in colour and pattern of summer plumage; sometimes lumped, though in rather different ways: races komensis pleskei and transbaicalicus sometimes included in kelloggae, or all of these in nelsoni, with possible addition of krascheninnikovi and kurilensis; race reinhardi sometimes included in rupestris, macrorhynchus in nadezd.. View all taxonomy...
Taxonomy: Tetrao mutus Montin, 1776, Sweden.
Occasional hybrids known with L. lagopus, Tetrao tetrix and Bonasa bonasia. Very complex internal taxonomy, largely due to complicated moults. Many races vary only slightly in colour and pattern of summer plumage; sometimes lumped, though in rather different ways: races komensis pleskei and transbaicalicus sometimes included in kelloggae, or all of these in nelsoni, with possible addition of krascheninnikovi and kurilensis; race reinhardi sometimes included in rupestris, macrorhynchus in nadezdae, and pyrenaicus in helveticus. Thirty subspecies currently recognized.
Occasional hybrids known with L. lagopus, Tetrao tetrix and Bonasa bonasia. Very complex internal taxonomy, largely due to complicated moults. Many races vary only slightly in colour and pattern of summer plumage; sometimes lumped, though in rather different ways: races komensis pleskei and transbaicalicus sometimes included in kelloggae, or all of these in nelsoni, with possible addition of krascheninnikovi and kurilensis; race reinhardi sometimes included in rupestris, macrorhynchus in nadezdae, and pyrenaicus in helveticus. Thirty subspecies currently recognized.
Subspecies and Distribution:
- hyperboreus Sundevall, 1845 - Svalbard (Spitsbergen), Franz Josef Land and Bear I.
- mutus (Montin, 1776) - Norway, N Sweden, N Finland and Kola Peninsula.
- millaisi Hartert, 1923 - Scotland.
- hyperboreus Sundevall, 1845 - Svalbard (Spitsbergen), Franz Josef Land and Bear I.
- mutus (Montin, 1776) - Norway, N Sweden, N Finland and Kola Peninsula.
- millaisi Hartert, 1923 - Scotland.
- pyrenaicus Hartert, 1921 - Pyrenees.
- helveticus (Thienemann, 1829) - Alps, from Savoie to C Austria.
- komensis Serebrovsky, 1929 - N Urals.
- pleskei Serebrovsky, 1926 - N Siberia, from Taimyr Peninsula to Chukotsky Peninsula.
- macrorhynchus Serebrovsky, 1926 - Tarbagatai.
- nadezdae Serebrovsky, 1926 - mountains of S Siberia and Mongolia (Altai, Sayan, Khangai and others).
- transbaicalicus Serebrovsky, 1926 - SE Siberia, from L Baikal to Sea of Okhotsk.
- krascheninnikovi Potapov, 1985 - Kamchatka.
- ridgwayi Stejneger, 1884 - Commander Is.
- kurilensis Kuroda, 1924 - Kuril Is.
- japonicus Clark, 1907 - C Honshu (Japan).
- evermanni Elliot, 1896 - Attu I (Aleutian Is).
- townsendi Elliot, 1896 - Kiska I (Aleutian Is).
- gabrielsoni Murie, 1944 - Amchitka I (Aleutian Is).
- sanfordi Bent, 1912 - Tanaga I and Kanaga I (Aleutian Is).
- chamberlaini Clark, 1907 - Adak I (Aleutian Is).
- atkhensis Turner, 1882 - Atka I (Aleutian Is).
- yunaskensis Gabrielson & Lincoln, 1959 - Yunaska I (Aleutian Is).
- nelsoni Stejneger, 1884 - Unimak, Unalaska and Amaknak Is (Aleutian Is).
- dixoni Grinnell, 1909 - Glacier Bay islands and adjacent mainland (SE Alaska).
- kelloggae Grinnell, 1910 - Alaska and N Yukon.
- rupestris (Gmelin, 1789) - N Canada, from Melville I and Ellesmere I to C British Columbia, S Mackenzie, Southampton I, N Quebec and Labrador.
- captus Peters, 1934 - E Greenland.
- saturatus Salomonsen, 1950 - NW Greenland.
- reinhardi (C. L. Brehm, 1824) - SW Greenland.
- welchi Brewster, 1885 - Newfoundland.
- islandorum (Faber, 1822) - Iceland.
- Least Concern Enlarge map
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Males moulting from winter to summer plumage from 10.06 to 23.07.2008 Locality Pyasina Delta, Taymyr Peninsula, Krasnoyarsk Krai, Eastern Russia, Russia
Laurent Demongin 10 June 2008 4 years ago 51 sec 5 -
Females moulting from winter to summer plumage from 06.06 to 05.07.2008 Locality Pyasina Delta, Taymyr Peninsula, Krasnoyarsk Krai, Eastern Russia, Russia
Laurent Demongin 6 June 2008 4 years ago 1 min 5 -
Close-up of a female almost in summer plumage feeding on the rocky tundra Locality Pyasina Delta, Taymyr Peninsula, Krasnoyarsk Krai, Eastern Russia, Russia
Laurent Demongin 24 June 2008 4 years ago 36 sec 5 -
Close-up of a female almost in summer plumage alarming and looking at a skua flying above Locality Pyasina Delta, Taymyr Peninsula, Krasnoyarsk Krai, Eastern Russia, Russia
Laurent Demongin 24 June 2008 4 years ago 31 sec 5 -
A male starting to moult to the summer plumage climbing on driftwood on a beach Locality Pyasina Delta, Taymyr Peninsula, Krasnoyarsk Krai, Eastern Russia, Russia
Laurent Demongin 8 July 2008 4 years ago 44 sec 5 -
Close-up of a breeding male in winter plumage feeding in the snowy tundra Locality Pyasina Delta, Taymyr Peninsula, Krasnoyarsk Krai, Eastern Russia, Russia
Laurent Demongin 14 June 2008 4 years ago 47 sec 4.8 -
A female in summer plumage pecking blooming willows in the tundra Locality Pyasina Delta, Taymyr Peninsula, Krasnoyarsk Krai, Eastern Russia, Russia
Laurent Demongin 26 June 2008 4 years ago 50 sec 4.7 -
A close-up of an adult male Locality Lapland Province, Finland
Javier Ortas 13 June 2010 2 years ago 42 sec 4.7 -
A close-up of a bird looking around Locality Lapland Province, Finland
Javier Ortas 13 June 2010 2 years ago 36 sec 4.7 -
An adult male looking around Locality Lapland Province, Finland
Javier Ortas 13 June 2010 2 years ago 32 sec 4.7 -
An adult male bathing with sand(II) Locality Lapland Province, Finland
Javier Ortas 13 June 2010 2 years ago 42 sec 4.5 -
An adult male bathing with sand(III) Locality Lapland Province, Finland
Javier Ortas 13 June 2010 2 years ago 33 sec 4.5 -
Ten birds resting and feeding in the snowy tundra, winter plumage Locality Pyasina Delta, Taymyr Peninsula, Krasnoyarsk Krai, Eastern Russia, Russia
Laurent Demongin 12 June 2008 4 years ago 27 sec 4.5 -
A male in summer plumage moulted at 25%, preening and looking at a skua flying above Locality Pyasina Delta, Taymyr Peninsula, Krasnoyarsk Krai, Eastern Russia, Russia
Laurent Demongin 17 July 2008 4 years ago 49 sec 4.5 -
A breeding male in winter plumage displaying on the ground, showing the black tail, then taking off Locality Pyasina Delta, Taymyr Peninsula, Krasnoyarsk Krai, Eastern Russia, Russia
Laurent Demongin 20 June 2008 4 years ago 51 sec 4.5 -
A breeding male in winter plumage displaying as digging hole in the snow Locality Pyasina Delta, Taymyr Peninsula, Krasnoyarsk Krai, Eastern Russia, Russia
Laurent Demongin 13 June 2008 4 years ago 56 sec 4.5 -
A female in summer plumage preening in the tundra Locality Pyasina Delta, Taymyr Peninsula, Krasnoyarsk Krai, Eastern Russia, Russia
Laurent Demongin 29 June 2008 4 years ago 39 sec 4.3 -
A breeding pair in winter plumage displaying, male digging hole in the snow and calling the female Locality Pyasina Delta, Taymyr Peninsula, Krasnoyarsk Krai, Eastern Russia, Russia
Laurent Demongin 14 June 2008 4 years ago 50 sec 4.3 -
A breeding male in winter plumage feeding along the driftwood in the tundra Locality Pyasina Delta, Taymyr Peninsula, Krasnoyarsk Krai, Eastern Russia, Russia
Laurent Demongin 28 June 2008 4 years ago 20 sec 4.3 -
A female in summer plumage in the rocky tundra Locality Pyasina Delta, Taymyr Peninsula, Krasnoyarsk Krai, Eastern Russia, Russia
Laurent Demongin 8 July 2008 4 years ago 23 sec 4.3 -
An adult male in winter plumage and an adult female in summer plumage Locality Nome, Seward Peninsula, Alaska, USA (United States) (ssp kelloggae)
Steven Siegel 31 May 2000 8 years ago 28 sec 4.1 -
A female in summer plumage, walking on a track and flicking the tail alert. Locality Adak Island, Aleutian Islands, Alaska, USA (United States) (ssp chamberlaini)
Josep del Hoyo 28 May 2012 46 weeks ago 29 sec 4 -
A male taking off and calling. Locality Adak Island, Aleutian Islands, Alaska, USA (United States) (ssp chamberlaini)
Josep del Hoyo 28 May 2012 46 weeks ago 16 sec 4 -
A pair walking while looking alert. Locality Adak Island, Aleutian Islands, Alaska, USA (United States) (ssp chamberlaini)
Josep del Hoyo 28 May 2012 46 weeks ago 22 sec 4 -
Male walking on hill. Locality Unalaska Island, Aleutian Islands, Alaska, USA (United States) (ssp nelsoni)
Marc de Bont 27 July 2008 2 years ago 39 sec 4 -
An adult male bathing with sand(I) Locality Lapland Province, Finland
Javier Ortas 13 June 2010 2 years ago 37 sec 4 -
An adult male on the ground Locality Lapland Province, Finland
Javier Ortas 13 June 2010 2 years ago 41 sec 4 -
A male walking slowly amongst rocks Locality Cairngorms National Park, Scotland, Great Britain
Keith Blomerley 3 June 2009 4 years ago 29 sec 4 -
A male walking slowly amongst rocks Locality Cairngorms National Park, Scotland, Great Britain
Keith Blomerley 3 June 2009 4 years ago 28 sec 4 -
Some incubating females are so tame that it is necessary to move them in order to count the eggs Locality Pyasina Delta, Taymyr Peninsula, Krasnoyarsk Krai, Eastern Russia, Russia
Laurent Demongin 5 July 2008 4 years ago 23 sec 4 -
Females in winter plumage scratching off the snow to find some food Locality Pyasina Delta, Taymyr Peninsula, Krasnoyarsk Krai, Eastern Russia, Russia
Laurent Demongin 6 June 2008 4 years ago 46 sec 4 -
Details of the plumage of an incubating female in summer plumage Locality Pyasina Delta, Taymyr Peninsula, Krasnoyarsk Krai, Eastern Russia, Russia
Laurent Demongin 5 July 2008 4 years ago 51 sec 4 -
Confort activities of a male in winter plumage, laying in a hole in the snow and preening Locality Pyasina Delta, Taymyr Peninsula, Krasnoyarsk Krai, Eastern Russia, Russia
Laurent Demongin 10 June 2008 4 years ago 49 sec 4 -
Confort activities of a group in winter plumage Locality Pyasina Delta, Taymyr Peninsula, Krasnoyarsk Krai, Eastern Russia, Russia
Laurent Demongin 10 June 2008 4 years ago 31 sec 4 -
Close-up of a breeding male in winter plumage walking with difficulties in the melted snow Locality Pyasina Delta, Taymyr Peninsula, Krasnoyarsk Krai, Eastern Russia, Russia
Laurent Demongin 24 June 2008 4 years ago 23 sec 4 -
A group taking off from the snow, winter plumage Locality Pyasina Delta, Taymyr Peninsula, Krasnoyarsk Krai, Eastern Russia, Russia
Laurent Demongin 12 June 2008 4 years ago 13 sec 4 -
A group feeding in the snow in winter conditions, winter plumage Locality Pyasina Delta, Taymyr Peninsula, Krasnoyarsk Krai, Eastern Russia, Russia
Laurent Demongin 6 June 2008 4 years ago 39 sec 4 -
A dominant male calling and chasing other male in a group in early spring, winter plumage Locality Pyasina Delta, Taymyr Peninsula, Krasnoyarsk Krai, Eastern Russia, Russia
Laurent Demongin 10 June 2008 4 years ago 33 sec 4 -
A breeding male in winter plumage running flat out on the snow while calling Locality Pyasina Delta, Taymyr Peninsula, Krasnoyarsk Krai, Eastern Russia, Russia
Laurent Demongin 13 June 2008 4 years ago 48 sec 4 -
A pair sitting amongst the rocks Locality Cerdanya, Catalonia, Spain (ssp pyrenaicus)
Job Roig i Simon 19 March 2004 8 years ago 28 sec 3.9 -
Pair with chicks. Adults try to guide chicks away from human intruders Locality Richardson Highway, Alaska, USA (United States) (ssp kelloggae)
Marc de Bont 15 July 2008 2 years ago 49 sec 3.8 -
A male on a grassland, walking and calling. Locality Adak Island, Aleutian Islands, Alaska, USA (United States) (ssp chamberlaini)
Josep del Hoyo 28 May 2012 46 weeks ago 22 sec 3.8 -
A male walking among vegetation, looking around. Locality Adak Island, Aleutian Islands, Alaska, USA (United States) (ssp chamberlaini)
Josep del Hoyo 28 May 2012 46 weeks ago 24 sec 3.8 -
Male standing in spring vegetation Locality Unalaska Island, Aleutian Islands, Alaska, USA (United States) (ssp nelsoni)
Marc de Bont 27 July 2008 2 years ago 41 sec 3.8 -
A male in summer plumage Locality Vallter2000, Girona Province, Catalonia, Spain
Ferran Vaquero 15 September 2011 1 year ago 45 sec 3.7 -
Female fouraging and walking on hillside with part of harbour in background Locality Unalaska Island, Aleutian Islands, Alaska, USA (United States) (ssp nelsoni)
Marc de Bont 27 July 2008 2 years ago 48 sec 3.5 -
Male with chicks. Locality Richardson Highway, Alaska, USA (United States) (ssp kelloggae)
Marc de Bont 15 July 2008 2 years ago 30 sec 3.5 -
Droppings and traces in the snow, moult feathers and droppings in the tundra 12 - 13.06.2008 (nouveau) Locality Pyasina Delta, Taymyr Peninsula, Krasnoyarsk Krai, Eastern Russia, Russia
Laurent Demongin 12 June 2008 4 years ago 15 sec 3.5 -
A group resting and preening in the snowy tundra, winter plumage Locality Pyasina Delta, Taymyr Peninsula, Krasnoyarsk Krai, Eastern Russia, Russia
Laurent Demongin 10 June 2008 4 years ago 30 sec 3.5 -
A pair feeding Locality Cerdanya, Catalonia, Spain (ssp pyrenaicus)
Job Roig i Simon 19 March 2004 8 years ago 35 sec 3.5 -
A male on the ground Locality Cerdanya, Catalonia, Spain (ssp pyrenaicus)
Job Roig i Simon 19 March 2004 8 years ago 29 sec 3.5 -
A male feeding in the snow and soil Locality Cerdanya, Catalonia, Spain (ssp pyrenaicus)
Job Roig i Simon 19 March 2004 8 years ago 28 sec 3.4 -
A female feeding and a male arriving Locality Cerdanya, Catalonia, Spain (ssp pyrenaicus)
Job Roig i Simon 19 March 2004 8 years ago 28 sec 3.4 -
A lone chick walking in short vegetation on hillside Locality Taylor Highway, Alaska, USA (United States) (ssp kelloggae)
Marc de Bont 12 July 2008 2 years ago 21 sec 3.3 -
An adult walking in the rocks. Locality Pla du Carlit, Pyrénées-Orientales, Languedoc-Roussillon, France (ssp pyrenaicus)
Francesc Capdevila i Torr... 21 June 2002 10 years ago 8 sec 3.3 -
A female hidden next to a rock Locality Cerdanya, Catalonia, Spain (ssp pyrenaicus)
Job Roig i Simon 19 March 2004 8 years ago 18 sec 3.2 -
Two nests with eggs in the tundra Locality Pyasina Delta, Taymyr Peninsula, Krasnoyarsk Krai, Eastern Russia, Russia
Laurent Demongin 10 July 2008 4 years ago 16 sec 3 -
Some incubating females try to lure the observer out of the nest Locality Pyasina Delta, Taymyr Peninsula, Krasnoyarsk Krai, Eastern Russia, Russia
Laurent Demongin 14 July 2008 4 years ago 44 sec 3 -
Some incubating females try to lure the observer out of the nest Locality Pyasina Delta, Taymyr Peninsula, Krasnoyarsk Krai, Eastern Russia, Russia
Laurent Demongin 14 July 2008 4 years ago 44 sec 3 -
Several shots showing the effectiveness of the cryptic plumage of the incubating female Locality Pyasina Delta, Taymyr Peninsula, Krasnoyarsk Krai, Eastern Russia, Russia
Laurent Demongin 8 July 2008 4 years ago 46 sec 3
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