4 
The Willow Ptarmigan 
finds the birds with almost naked feet,—a heavy feathering at that season 
probably being not only needless but a hindrance, as it would be especially 
when wet. 
The toe-nails in winter are so long as to project considerably beyond the 
generous feathering of the feet and toes. They probably serve as “ice-creep¬ 
ers,” of great use in walking or wallowing in crusty snow. But the extraordi¬ 
nary thing is that in summer the old toe-nails drop off, or molt, new ones grow¬ 
ing from the quick! 
In winter plumage, one set of feathers fails to conform to the general 
whiteness—the tail-feathers. When the bird is at rest, the very long upper 
and under tail-coverts almost completely conceal these black tail-feathers, 
which are then closed together in narrow ranks. But, when the bird takes 
flight, the tail is widely spread, and a black “directive” marking flashes forth 
against the white background. In summer, the wing-feathers, left over un¬ 
molted from the winter dress, are unnoticed in the bird at rest; but, as the 
wings are spread in flight, they furnish again a conspicuous “directive” pat¬ 
tern against the dark landscape, the black tail-feathers being then ineffective. 
With all its marvelous fitness, the Ptarmigan has much to contend with— 
just as much as have our southern Quail and more than our Grouse—for the 
birth-rate provides a sure index of the death-rate. If each pair of Ptarmigan 
produces an average of ten young each season, then ten out of every twelve exist¬ 
ing at the close of the incubatory period are doomed to die within the next 
twelvemonth. Before the invasion of the white man to upset the natural 
balance, the Ptarmigan had many regular enemies—the arctic fox, the weasel, 
the Rough-legged Hawk, and the Gyrfalcon. 
Looked at from the utilitarian standpoint, the Ptarmigan, on the far 
northern frontier, affords an even more important game resource than did the 
native birds in the early days of the settlement of the States. The weight of a 
Willow Ptarmigan is one and one-half pounds, so that each bird affords as 
much food as four or five Bob-whites. 
In most of the vast northern region, conditions yet remain practically 
primitive so far as wild game is concerned. But, around the mining settlements 
of Alaska and Yukon Territory, the larger animals have been much reduced 
in numbers, or entirely used up. It is fairly certain that many natural enemies 
of the birds have been reduced to small numbers, to the great advantage of 
the Ptarmigan. This has doubtless served to offset the effect of the firearm, 
so that only in the near neighborhood of settlements has there been a notable 
decrease in the supply of birds. 
With proper study of the situation and suitable legislation based thereon, 
to apply to the most thickly settled districts, the Willow Ptarmigan should 
constitute a valuable and permanent game resource in a country where the 
food-value of game-birds far exceeds that here in the states where sport is the 
chief element to invite pursuit. 
Reprinted from Bird-Lore, November-December, iqi2. Teachers, students and other persons may 
obtain additional copies of this and other Educational Leaflets, with illustrations and outlines, at 
small cost, from the National Association of Audubon Societies, No. 1974 Broadway, New York ( lty. 
