- "The Willow Ptarmigan is a species of game bird that is closely related to grouse, living in the Arctic and subarctic regions of Northern Eurasia and North America. It is the largest living species of ptarmigan.
Willow Ptarmigans are territorial birds. Males defend their territory fiercely during breeding season, in an attempt to attract females. In the fall, they become more gregarious and form large flock prior to their winter migration." - ― In-Game Description
The Willow Ptarmigan is a class 1 bird species huntable in the Revontuli Coast reserve located in Finland. It is one of 5 grouse currently huntable in game. The other Grouse include the Rock Ptarmigan, Hazel Grouse, Black Grouse, and the Western Capercaillie.
Features[]
| Description | |
|---|---|
| Behavior | Territorial |
| Habitat | Tundra |
| Senses | Excellent vision |
| Social | Territorial while breeding, flocks before migration |
| Active | Diurnal |
| Recommended Equipment | Class 1 Ammo |
| Species | Lagopus lagopus |
| Difficulty | Easy |
Need Zone Times[]
| Times | Activity |
|---|---|
| 00:00 - 04:30 |  Resting
|
| 04:00 - 08:30 |  Feeding
|
| 08:00 - 11:30 | Feeding
|
| 11:00 - 14:30 | Resting
|
| 14:00 - 18:30 | Feeding
|
| 18:00 - 21:30 | Feeding
|
| 21:00 - 00:30 | Resting
|
Plumage Variants[]
Male[]
Bicolor - Front
Bicolor - Back
Molting - Front
Molting - Back
Red - Front
Red - Back
White - Front
White - Back
Female[]
Bicolor - Front
Bicolor - Back
Brown - Front
Brown - Back
Molting Variation 1 - Front
Molting Variation 1 - Back
Molting Variation 2 - Front
Molting Variation 2 - Back
White - Front
White - Back
Plumage Variant Rarity[]
| Sex | Common | Uncommon | Rare | Very Rare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Male | Molting (66.14%) Bicolor (33.07%) |
X | White (0.53%) Red (0.27%) |
X |
| Female | Molting Variation 1 (39.87%) Molting Variation 2 (19.94%) Bicolor (19.94%) Brown (19.94%) |
X | White (0.32%) | X |
Trivia[]
- The word 'Ptarmigan' comes from the Scottish Gaelic word "tàrmachan" (word meaning unknown). However a 'P' was added because early ornithologists mistook the word as being of Greek origin.
- The scientific name for the Willow Ptarmigan (lagopus) comes from the Latin word for "hare-footed" in reference to the bird's feathered toes.[1]
- It is the most wide spread, and numerous, Ptarmigan in the world, spanning Ireland, thru Alaska, and as far east as Quebec.
- Willow Ptarmigan are known as "Willow Grouse" in the British Isles.
- It molts seasonally to camouflage with its surroundings. It's brown during the summer and then turns white in the winter.
- A sub-species of the Willow, the Red Grouse (scotica), is famous for keeping its reddish brown plumage year round.
- The Willow Ptarmigan is the official state bird of Alaska.
- The scientific name of the Willow Ptarmigan, (Lagopus lagopus), is together with the name of the Red Fox (Vulpes vulpes), Fallow Deer (Dama dama), Roe Deer (Capreolus capreolus), American Buffalo (Bison bison bison), Axis Deer (Axis axis) Moose (Acles acles), Greylag Goose (Anser anser), Eurasian Lynx (Lynx lynx), and the Harlequin Duck (Histrionicus histrionicus) a tautonym, that means a scientific name in which both parts of the name have the same spelling.
