Need help with ptarmigans - Alaska (1 Viewer)

[dant1999]

I see these birds last week at Kenai Fjords National Park near Seward, Alaska. Are these white-tailed or rock ptarmigans?

 

[Microtus]

After looking at the 2nd edition Sibley field guide: I think the first photo might a female White-tailed Ptarmigan (based on the yellow feather color). Note: I have never been in any danger of seeing an actual ptarmigan.

Do you have any other photos?

 

[stevethehydra]

The second bird is certainly a Rock Ptarmigan (which we in the UK just call Ptarmigan, as our only other Lagopus sp. is called Red Grouse). Not sure about the first as I can find photos of both Rock and White-tailed that are close to it (I'm not really familiar with White-tailed) but I'm leaning towards both Rock - see for example https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rock_ptarmigan#/media/File:Rock_Ptarmigan_(Lagopus_Muta).jpg

 

[Nutcracker]

The second bird is certainly a Rock Ptarmigan (which we in the UK just call Ptarmigan, as our only other Lagopus sp. is called Red Grouse). Not sure about the first as I can find photos of both Rock and White-tailed that are close to it (I'm not really familiar with White-tailed) but I'm leaning towards both Rock - see for example https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rock_ptarmigan#/media/File:Rock_Ptarmigan_(Lagopus_Muta).jpg

I'm not 100% convinced - these two birds have stouter bills that either the ones in the linked Wiki photo, or my own pics from Scotland. But bill size may vary between subspecies of course (the wiki pic is L. m. muta from Scandinavia, UK is L. m. millaisi, and Alaska is L. m. rupestris).