ENDANGERED SPECIES ACT PROFILE

PROTECTION STATUS: Not listed

PETITIONED: 2010

RANGE: High mountains across the North American West, from Alaska to isolated peaks in northern New Mexico; seriously threatened by climate change in the lower 48 states, especially the Rocky Mountains

THREATS: Global warming, human recreation, livestock grazing, mining, hunting, disease, predation

POPULATION TREND: Population trends for white-tailed ptarmigans vary by region and in some cases are not known; however, population extinctions of the bird have already occurred, and climate change will likely increase their occurrence.

Photo © Christian Nunes