Ptarmigan (Rock Ptarmigan)
Lagopus mutus
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Distribution Britain 173 (-11.3%) Ireland 0
Numbers breeding: Britain 10,000 Ireland 0 European status: 530,000 (2% in Britain and Ireland =5) British population trend: apparently stable How likely are you to record it? 5 squares (0.1%) Ranked 162= |
These amazing birds live in the very special Arctic-alpine habitat only found in Scotland in the highlands — although actually down to about 200 m above sea level in the far north-west. These birds bred, more than 100 years ago, on mountains in southern Scotland and on Hoy (Orkney). On the Western Isles they were eventually lost from their last foothold on Lewis in 1938. They do not require the heather that the Red Grouse need and are generally found above them on the hill where they graze such plants as crowberry and blaeberry. In the winter their plumage changes from the brown, with which they are superbly camouflaged in the snow-free summer, to white so that they disappear in the snow. Losses have been caused in many areas through degradation of the habitat through overgrazing by sheep. Around the tourist areas on Cairngorm the edible rubbish which has been discarded has encouraged Crows and foxes to the extent that predation has increased greatly. This is one of the species at risk from global warming as its habitat may, in the long term, be squeezed from the Scottish scene. Short term prospects reasonable.
From
The
State of the Nations Birds
Copyright © 2000 by Chris Mead