ptarmigan

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“
The change from its winter plumage to its summer one is sometimes delayed for some little time after the winter snows have disappeared, and it has been noticed, in Norway and Sweden, that large numbers of ptarmigan are killed at this time, when their white feathers make them so conspicuous The enemies of the ptarmigan are the larger birds of prey, and animals of the weasel kind.

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Definitions (5)

Toggle American Heritage definitions American Heritage Dictionary (1)

  1. noun Any of various grouses of the genus Lagopus, inhabiting arctic, subarctic, and alpine regions of the Northern Hemisphere and having feathered legs and feet and plumage that is brown or gray in summer and white in winter.

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Examples (50)

  • The caribou had not yet appeared, being still on the tundras, but there were birds--ptarmigan and willow grouse--and big Arctic hares just getting into their winter coats. —  SICK HEART RIVER
  • Officials did find several bird species nesting, including Aleutian cackling geese, ptarmigan, peregrine falcons and black oystercatchers.
  • FEARS were raised yesterday that the ptarmigan, one of Scotland's most iconic birds, has completely vanished from its most southerly Scottish outpost on the isle of Arran.
  • Wildlife consists of elk, mule deer (distinguished by their large ears), mountain lions, black bears, bobcat, ptarmigan, and snowshoe rabbit. —  The Denver Newspaper Agency YourHub.com Stories
  • I can't see anything that looks remotely like a ptarmigan. —  authorblog
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Etymologies (2)

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  1. Alteration (influenced by the spelling pt in Greek words like pteron, wing) of Scottish Gaelic tarmachan.

Toggle Century etymologies Century Dictionary (1)

  1. With unorig. initial p (apparently first in F. ptarmigan, so spelled prob. because assumed to be of Greek origin), for *tarmigan, formerly termigant, termagant, from Gaelic tarmachan = Irish tarmochan, also tarmonach, the ptarmigan.
 

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/ˈtɑrmɪgən/
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