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A pair of white-tailed ptarmigans

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A pair of white-tailed ptarmigans on the shore of Conness Lake 10,543. There is a flock of about 10 living in this area which we have been fortunate enough to see now a couple of times; this time they let me get right up to them. Their plumage was in the process of turning white for the winter. (Oct 10).
Another shot of the same pair.

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brenta

Molting

Voted 10/10

Nice shot! In the Rockies, at about the same elevation, white-tailed ptarmigans where at this stage of molting about a month ago. Lower down, however, they still had their summer plumage. Does anybody know what triggers the change? Temperature? Snow cover?

Posted Nov 4, 2004 7:41 pm


	Jeff Moore	Re: Molting
	Hasn't voted	Thanks for the comment, I dont know why they molt when they do, I whish I knew. This website has some more gneral info, but no answer to your question.
		Posted Nov 5, 2004 1:08 pm


	livioz	Re: Molting
	Hasn't voted	In the Department I have an expert colleague , as Gangolf knows ;-)).... I asked him and he answered that the molting is triggered by the daylight hours. But it doesn't justify what Brenta observed... By the way, fine picture indeed. I'm glad it's back in the quality rank!
		Posted Nov 17, 2004 3:37 am

Misha

Old friends

Hasn't voted

Oh my dear friends.. its so nice to see you again. Here is the shot of you that I took last year on the way to the NR ridge of Conness.

Nice photo, Jeff!

Posted Nov 4, 2004 9:39 pm