Characteristics
 The willow ptarmigan is a small grouse with a red comb over its eyes. The comb is larger in the spring and summer. It has rusty brown feathers on its back, neck and head mixed with white feathers on its wings and stomach. In the winter, it has feathers on its legs and feet that help protect it from the cold and snow. In the winter, it is all white except for a few black feathers on its tail.
Range
The willow ptarmigan's range stretches
from Alaska to Labrador and south to central British Columbia, northern
Ontario, and central Quebec. It can also be found in parts of northern
Asia and Europe. Some ptarmigan populations migrate south in the winter.
Habitat
The willow ptarmigan can be found in the tundra
and in thickets with alder and willow trees.
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Diet
In the summer, the willow ptarmigan eats flowers, buds and insects. In the winter, it eats twigs and buds from willows and alders.
Life Cycle
 The
female lays seven to ten eggs in a hollowed out area on the ground that is lined
with feathers and grass. She tries to find a place sheltered by rocks,
plants or logs. The male guards the nesting area while the female incubates
the eggs. The chicks hatch after about three weeks and they fledge when
they are 10-12 days old.
Behavior
 In the winter, the willow ptarmigan
often flies into snow banks and nestles in the snow to sleep. By flying into
the banks instead of walking, they don't leave tracks for predators to
follow!
Image Credits: Clipart.com unless otherwise noted
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