Alaska
Common Name: Willow Ptarmigan, Willow Grouse
Scientific Name: Lagopus lagopus
Year Adopted as State Bird: 1955
Range in State: Statewide in open tundra and willow thickets, year-round
Shared With Other States: None
Selected as the official state bird four years before Alaska officially became a state, the willow ptarmigan is a striking bird found in the state throughout the year, unlike many migratory birds that breed in Alaska but migrate south during the colder seasons.
In spring and summer these birds have mottled plumage that serves as ideal camouflage, and in winter they turn a bright plain white, which also works as spectacular camouflage during Alaska's hard winters.
Photo – Willow Ptarmigan © Peter Wilton
Scientific Name: Lagopus lagopus
Year Adopted as State Bird: 1955
Range in State: Statewide in open tundra and willow thickets, year-round
Shared With Other States: None
Selected as the official state bird four years before Alaska officially became a state, the willow ptarmigan is a striking bird found in the state throughout the year, unlike many migratory birds that breed in Alaska but migrate south during the colder seasons.
In spring and summer these birds have mottled plumage that serves as ideal camouflage, and in winter they turn a bright plain white, which also works as spectacular camouflage during Alaska's hard winters.
Photo – Willow Ptarmigan © Peter Wilton
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