Lagopus leucura (White-Tailed Ptarmigan) | Natural Heritage New Mexico

Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Craniata

Class: Aves

Order: Galliformes

Family: Phasianidae

Genus: Lagopus

Species: leucura

White-Tailed Ptarmigan - Lagopus leucura

Image courtesy of Biota Information System of New Mexico

267203

Species Extent (New Mexico)

General Description

White-tailed Ptarmigan (Lagopus leucura) is a small (30-31 cm) grouse with a thick body and white tail and wings; in the winter it is completely white and has grayish brown barring in the summer. The core of their distribution is in western Canada and Alaska, but they are also disjunctly distributed through the Rocky Mountains, south to northern New Mexico. In New Mexico, they are found in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains. They live in alpine habitats with bare rock and talus slopes. Alpine willows (Salix spp.) are important food sources for the White-Tailed Ptarmigan, especially during the winter months.

Status

Global Rank: G5

State Rank: S1B,S1N

State Status: E

Federal Status:

USFS Status: R3 SCC

BLM Status:

SWAP Status: SGCN

NMRP Strategy Status:

Observations in Natural Heritage New Mexico Database

Number of Subpopulations: 11

Number of Mapped Locations: 45

Number of Observations: 81

Observation date range: 11-28-1926 to 08-16-2018

External Links

View More Information about this species at:
Biota Information System of New Mexico (BISON-M)
NatureServe Explorer
Environmental Conservation Online System (ECOS)
New Mexico State Wildlife Action Plan (NMSWAP)

Species Related Publications

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Year
2012

Citation

Wolfe, D.H, Larsson, L.C., Oldenettel, J.R., Walker, H.A., and Patten, M.A. 2012. Status of populations of the White-tailed Ptarmigan att eh southern edge of its range. In Watson, R.T., Cade, T.J., Fuller, M., Hunt, G., and Potapove, E. (Eds.). Gyrfalcons

Keywords

Reference Code
A12WOL01NMUS

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Year
2015

Citation

Braun, C.E., and Williams III, S.O. 2015. Western Specialty: White-tailed Ptarmigan. Western Birds 46:233-243.

Keywords

Reference Code
A15BRA01NMUS

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Year
1978

Citation

Hubbard, J.P. 1978. Revised checklist of the birds of New Mexico. New Mexico Ornithological Society Publication #6, Santa Fe, NM. 110 pp.

Keywords

Reference Code
B78HUB01NMUS

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Year
1962

Citation

Various. 1962-present. Bird occurences recorded by the New Mexico Ornithological Society. New Mexico Ornithological Society. Field notes. .

Keywords

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Reference Code
J62FIE01NMUS

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Year
2009

Citation

Radcliff, A., and Keckler, C. White-tailed Ptarmigan survey report Latir Peak Wilderness. Questa Ranger District, Carson National Forest. Taos County (NM). 2009. 8 p. USFS.

Keywords

Reference Code
O09RAD01NMUS

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Year
2009

Citation

Radcliff, A., and Keckler, C. White-tailed Ptarmigan survey report Wheeler Peak Wilderness. Questa Ranger District, Carson National Forest. Taos County (NM). 2009. 10 p. USFS.

Keywords

Reference Code
O09RAD02NMUS

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Year
2008

Citation

Wolfe, D.H., Patten, M.A., and Pruett, C.L. 2007 Surveys for White-tailed Ptarmigan in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains, New Mexico. 2008 Univeristy of Oklahoma. Bartlesville, OK, USA. 6 p. Supported by the George. M. Sutton Avian Research Center.

Keywords

Reference Code
U08WOL01NMUS

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Year
2009

Citation

Wolfe, D.H., and Patten, M. A. 2008 Surveys for White-tailed Ptarmigan in the Snagre de Cristo Mountains, New Mexico. 2009. University of Oklahoma. Bartlesville, OK, USA. 33 p. Supported by the George M. Sutton Avian Research Center.

Keywords

Reference Code
U09WOL01NMUS

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Year
2010

Citation

Wolfe, D.H., and Patten, M. A. 2009 Surveys for White-tailed Ptarmigan in the Snagre de Cristo Mountains, New Mexico. 2010. University of Oklahoma. Bartlesville, OK, USA. 5 p. Supported by the George M. Sutton Avian Research Center.

Keywords

Reference Code
U10WOL01NMUS

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Year
2014

Citation

Wolfe, D.H., Larsson, L.C., Oyler-McCance, S.J., and Patten, M.A. Status, distribution, ecology, and gentics of teh White-tailed Ptarmigan (Lagopus leucura) in New Mexico. 2014. University of Oklahoma. Bartlesville, OK, USA. 24 p. Supported by the George

Keywords

Reference Code
U14WOL01NMUS

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Year
2015

Citation

Adkins Consulting, Inc. 2015. Brack's fishhook cactus (Sclerocactus cloveriae spp. brackii) survey report: proposed WPX Energy Production Chaco 2408-26E No. 126 project. Submitted to BLM Farmington Field Office. 5 p.

Keywords

Reference Code
U15ADK01NMUS

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Year
2020

Citation

Hudson, H. 2020. RE: Heritage Data Website Updated. Email correspondence from USFS.

Keywords

Reference Code
U20HUD01NMUS

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Year
1979

Citation

Braun, C.E. 1979. Memo to J.R. Grieb on white-tailed ptarmigan and sage grouse habitat investigations, New Mexico.

Keywords

Lagopus leucurus

Reference Code
U79BRA01NMUS

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Year
1988

Citation

New Mexico Dept of Game and Fish. 1988 Et Seq. Handbook of species endangered in New Mexico. NM Dept Game and Fish, Santa Fe, NM 87503.

Keywords

Ammodramus bairdii

Reference Code
U88NEW01NMUS

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Species Information

White-Tailed Ptarmigan - Lagopus leucura

General Description

Status

Observations in Natural Heritage New Mexico Database

External Links

Species Related Publications