The White-tailed Ptarmigan is the smallest grouse in North America and the only variety of ptarmigan found in Colorado. They breed in alpine habitats at or above treeline, building their nest sites at snow free rocky areas or near alpine willow shrubs or spruce krummholz trees. They typically prefer walking over flight and can become quite territorial during the breeding season in late April and May.
Given their mountainous habitats and general desire to stay on the ground, ptarmigans aren’t terribly uncommon sights on the slopes of Colorado ski areas. Given the territorial behavior, it’s not unheard of for these birds to attempt to peck or attack people who get too close, as this skier on the slopes of Winter Park learned the hard way.
A ptarmigan was making quite the commotion at Winter Park just this past weekend. It’s not clear if this is the exact same bird, but skiers and snowboarders kept stopping to have a look at a ptarmigan around the Edelweiss trail on Mary Jane. As with any wild animal, you should never approach or attempt to pet a ptarmigan and always give the animal plenty of space.
