Ptarmigan

tar'mi-gan, an Arctic grouse. There are several species differing in summer plumage, but all are white as snow in winter. The ptarmigans are smaller than the prairie hen. They are densely feathered to the nails of the toes. They nest from Labrador and Manitoba northward. They live in the barrens, eating seeds and wild fruits. The willow ptarmigan, while ranging for food, often crosses the international line in winter as far south as the center of Minnesota. The ptarmigan is an exceedingly hardy bird, taking refuge in an arctic snowdrift as readily as a seal in the water. The corresponding ptarmigan of Europe is a resident of the northern part of Norway, Lapland, and Siberia. A species is found in the high altitudes of the Rocky Mountains. They nest on the ground and have the habits of prairie chickens. See Grouse