Willow Ptarmigan

• The British subspecies is the only one in the world that does not turn white in winter: on islands where lasting snow is rare, white camouflage would be counterproductive.
• Its populations fluctuate in cycles of several years driven by an intestinal nematode, a mechanism demonstrated experimentally and a classic case of population regulation by parasites.
• The heather moors of Scotland are managed by burning them in patches to maximise grouse density for shooting, a practice that shapes the landscape of large parts of the Highlands and that generates permanent environmental controversy.

Skeleton type

Vertebrate - internal bony skeleton (bird)

Habitat and environment

Tundra, peat bogs, heather moorland and willow scrub of the northern hemisphere

Sexual maturity

12 months

Gestation / incubation

21 days

Litter / clutch size

6

Sources consulted: Wikipedia (es): Lagopus lagopus

The pins mark the parks where its presence is documented.