Female willow ptarmigan
Female willow ptarmigan camouflaged in the tundra. Canon 1Ds Mark III, 500mm f/4L IS w/1.4x (700mm), 1/125 sec @ f/5.6, ISO 800
Camouflage is at the heart of this bird’s survival. The willow ptarmigan has many color morphs, depending on the season and the terrain in which it lives. In this case, the tundra is just awakening to spring, and the dull brown colors are a perfect match for her brown feathers. In the winter, this bird turns completely white to blend in with the snow. I was amazed at how well the bird blended into the surroundings. Soon she will have chicks hiding under her wings.
You must have a good eye to spot these birds! I know I usually don’t see ptarmigan until I nearly step on them and they fly away.
Eli, that is often the case with me too. However in this situation, I saw the nearby male first, which tipped me off.
Incredible spectrum of feather color change.
Patrick,
Around the first part of May I was up in the high country photographing rock ptarmigan on their breeding grounds. The poor males still sported their winter-white colors in order to impress the hens, but at the expense of being very easy to spot by raptors. I really had to search to find the cryptic colored hens. Found several “crime scenes” where white males were killed by raptors. Nice capture.
Jim
Jim,
Yes, its a delicate plumage line shall we say.
She’s beautiful, and it’s amazing how well she blends in!