Unique color-changing bird a resilient species beloved by Colorado

Amid Colorado's treacherous and often unforgiving high-alpine terrain, the white-tailed ptarmigan emerges as a resilient animal thanks to many unique characteristics including its color-changing camouflage.

According to the National Park Service, the white-tailed ptarmigan changes from pure white in the winter to streaked brown and gray in the summer, although the tail always remains white. This allows the animal to stay hidden from predators, regardless of the season.

During the summer, males and broods reside near receding snowfields and rocky areas at higher elevations. In the winter months, the species can be found in willow-dominated basins or riparian areas at or below tree line, near snow available for roosting. The birds breed in alpine habitats at or above the tree line. Nest sites can be found in snow-free rocky areas or near alpine willow shrubs or spruce krummholz trees.

These birds are well-acclimated to cold weather, and lead a relatively sedentary lifestyle during the winter. They avoid flight and can even be found bathing in snow when the temperature is higher than 70 degrees Fahrenheit.

When it comes to diet, the White-tailed Ptarmigan feasts on buds, leaves, and seeds, and supplements their diets with fruits, flowers, and insects. The birds are considered to be "permanent residents," even though they move to lower elevations to find vegetation to feed on during the winter.

In the realms of Colorado's alpine heights, the white-tailed ptarmigan shows its resilience and ability to adapt, with its color-changing nature and its ability to survive in frigid conditions.