Willow Grouse or Willow Ptarmigan
Grouse
Lagopus lagopus is the Willow Grouse of Europe, and called Willow Ptarmigan in North America. It is a medium-sized gamebird in the grouse subfamily.
It is the state bird of Alaska.
Distribution / Range
It is a sedentary species, breeding in birch and other forests and moorlands in the tundra of Scotland, Scandinavia, Siberia, and of Alaska and northern Canada.
Description
The male in summer plumage is marbled brown above, with a reddish hue to the neck and breast, a black tail, and white wings and underparts. It has two inconspicuous wattles above the eyes, which become prominent in the breeding season.
The female is similar, but lacks the wattles and has brown feathers strewn all over the belly. In winter, both sexes' plumages become completely white, except for the black tail.
They can be distinguished from the (Rock) Ptarmigan (L. muta) by habitat (L. lagopus is not found above the tree line), larger size and thicker bill; the summer plumage is browner, the winter Willow Ptarmigan's male lacks the black loral stripe (= loral area is the area between beak and eyes).
The distinctive British subspecies L. l. scotica (Red Grouse) has sometimes been considered a separate species. This moorland bird is reddish brown all over, except the white feet. It does not have a white winter plumage.
Vocalizations
The male's call is a loud go-back go-back.
Taxonomy and systematics
The Willow Grouse's scientific name, Lagopus lagopus is derived from Ancient Greek lagos (λαγως) "hare" + pous (πους) "foot", in reference to the bird's feathered feet which allow it to negotiate frozen ground (see also Snowshoe Hare).
Depnding on the author, some 10-20 subspecies of the Willow Groupse are recognized. Most differ little in appearance, though as noted above, L. l. scoticus is rather distinct. Some commonly-accepted subspecies are:
- L. l. lagopus (Linnaeus, 1758) – Scandinavian Willow Grouse
- L. l. scoticus (Latham, 1787) – Red Grouse
- L. l. alascensis Swarth, 1926 – Alaskan Willow Ptarmigan
- L. l. variegatus Salomonsen, 1936 – Trondheimsfjord Willow Grouse
Folklore
In Finnish Lapland, the Willow Grouse was considered "The bird of God" and represented purity, often being associated with females. In some parts of the country, parents would hang the legs and wings of a white grouse over a baby girl's cot to make sure she grew up virtuous. In Finnish folklore the willow grouse, like other birds of the grouse family, were considered spirit messengers and any unusual grouse behaviour was interpreted as a bad omen, mostoften death or illness.
In parts of Japan, the Willow Grouse is literally called the "thunder bird" (raichou) and according to legend protects people and buildings from fire and thunder.
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