Willow Ptarmigan look-alikes

Key differences

The Rock Ptarmigan is generally smaller and has a finer bill. In summer, it is grayer and more finely barred than the reddish-brown Willow Ptarmigan. Males of both species have red combs, but Rock Ptarmigan males have a black line through the eye, which is absent in Willow Ptarmigan. In winter, both are white, but Rock Ptarmigan often retains a black loral stripe (between eye and bill) and has a more mottled appearance on the back in transitional plumages. Rock Ptarmigan prefers higher, rockier, and more barren alpine tundra, while Willow Ptarmigan prefers shrubby tundra.

Key differences

The White-tailed Ptarmigan is the smallest of the three ptarmigan species and is the only one that remains entirely white-tailed in all plumages. Both Willow and Rock Ptarmigan have black outer tail feathers. White-tailed Ptarmigan also lacks the red supraorbital comb in males. It is found in high alpine habitats in western North America, typically above the treeline.