Aqiggiq

I got to thinking, as I and The Bird's deadline was rapidly looming, that my posts over the next few months are going to start to blur together (if they haven't already). Ravens, ptarmigan, gyrfalcon, ravens, ptarmigan, gyrfalcon. And really it will be mostly ravens, ravens, ravens, ravens. Hmm perhaps I had better start writing about poultry flu.

The small passerines have long left for the south, the arctic pelagics are retreating farther and farther away as the extent of the ice grows. Some of them will turn north to major polynae near Ellesmere island. The ravens, still soar and dance on the winds around the house, and are masters of all they survey from it's peak. The only other common bird left now really is the Aqiggiq or Ptarmigan. 

We can get both Willow (Lagopus lagopus) and Rock Ptarmigan (Lagopus mutus) here, although the Rock is by far the most common.  This time of year finds them in rocky windswept slopes, eking out a living on the buds of Arctic Willow.  Locally they are known as Aqiggiq.  Only on occasion do the odd ones venture right into town, actually last spring was the first time I've seen a pair right here.

Of course, these birds are mostly known in their (almost all) white plumage, but they do change into a mottled summer plumage.  Interestingly enough, the males retain more white plumage longer than the females in the summer, possibly as part of a sexual display.  A consequence of this however is that males suffer more predation by Gyrfalcons as they are more conspicuous.  Ah, the price of love.