Willow Ptarmigan

Lagopus lagopus major (Lorenz, 1904)

2011-05-07 North Kazakhstan area	© Andrey Krasnikov

Description

Black on upper parts is well prominent, sated. Black on centres of feathers is well prominent too. Cross bars are pale, from pale-rusty to whitish. Feathers of upper parts are with broad white or whitish terminal band. Upper parts are motley-patterned. Craw and breast pale-rusty. Wing length: males 208-235 (224), females 208-222 (215) mm; bill: males 11-13 (12.4), females 11.3-12.2 (11.8) mm.

Distribution

Breeds in forest steppes of Northern Kazakhstan on east to foothills of Western Altai. At once the pair was recorded at Ural valley near Budarino village (11 June 1950). Disappears from Naurzum Reserve in mid 1960-th; the southern border of breeding range moved to north on more than 150 km. In winter sometimes occurs at Kurgaldzhino village; at once the flock was observed in January 25, 1982 near Urdzhar.

References

Gavrilov E. I., Gavrilov A. E. "The Birds of Kazakhstan". Almaty, 2005. Э.И.Гаврилов. "Фауна и распространение птиц Казахстана". Алматы, 1999. В.К.Рябицев. "Птицы Урала, Приуралья и Западной Сибири". Екатеринбург. Изд-во Уральского университета, 2000.