Image: The Ultimate Bird Drawing Throwdown Showdown Graphic featuring images of David Sibley and H. Jon Benjamin

Join BirdNote tomorrow, November 30th!

Illustrator David Sibley and actor H. Jon Benjamin will face off in the bird illustration battle of the century during BirdNote's Year-end Celebration and Auction!

RESERVE YOUR SPOT

Rock Ptarmigan — Camouflage and Call

© Let's bird

Rock ptarmigan (Lagopus muta) in late summer plumage with typical male call (Germany, Bavaria; September 2015).

Male and female look very much alike. They strongly rely on their perfect camouflage, whichever the season. The Rock ptarmigan shows feathered legs characteristic of the grouse. They live as ground dwellers on the stony, vegetation-poor tundra and on steep alpine inclines at and above treeline. The Rock ptarmigan is a typical vegetarian ground feeder and likes buds, leaves, berries and seeds. In winter it descends to lower regions and also feeds on birch and willow. Where they coexistthe Rock ptarmigan may be easily mistaken for the slightly bigger Willow ptarmigan. Published on Oct 4, 2015.