SOUTHERLY MOVEMENTS of WILLOW PTARMIGAN DURING WINTER in and NEAR the PRAIRIE PROVINCES Peter Taylor the Following Sections

SOUTHERLY MOVEMENTS OF WILLOW PTARMIGAN DURING WINTER IN AND NEAR THE PRAIRIE PROVINCES Peter Taylor the following sections. a big push of flocks moving through. P.O. Box 597 To prepare this article, I consulted Locally they are scarce right now Pinawa, MB R0E 1L0 many books, reports and journal except for pockets in which they [email protected] articles, newspaper articles (especially are wintering. About a month ago the erstwhile Chickadee Notes [early January] there were numerous This review was inspired by a column in the Winnipeg Free Press, sightings of flocks on Highway 60 cluster of three records of Willow successively edited by Alexander and in the bog area [northwest of Ptarmigan (Lagopus lagopus; Lawrence, Harold Mossop, and David Lake Winnipegosis]. I expect they are hereafter, WIPT) in southeastern Hatch), individual correspondents wintering on Lake Winnipegosis or in Manitoba in December 2017. On cited in the acknowledgements, the bog area. Some years they shift 11 December, Richard Farquhar and open-access online resources east from this area, and I expect the photographed two WIPT alongside (especially VertNet, eBird, GBIF, same has happened [this year] as in Manitoba Provincial Road 315 in iNaturalist, the Searchable early December there were numerous a forested area near Poplar Bay at Ornithological Research Archive sightings on Highway 6 between the eastern end of Lac du Bonnet (SORA), and several individual online William Lake and Ponton. Historically [lake] (50.37°N, 95.77°W). On 27 museum databases). This resulted they are said to have wintered quite December, while scouting for the in more records, anecdotes, and far south on Lake Winnipegosis. annual Pinawa – Lac du Bonnet references than I could include in this This year’s sightings are the most Christmas Bird Count (CBC), Anita article. southerly I have heard of by far. Drabyk and I saw and photographed Normally the main push of them is in a WIPT at a small patch of deciduous Observations Elsewhere in February when they will winter in a trees and willows in open farmland Winter 2017-2018 small area to the north of The Pas.” along Belluk Road (50.24°N, There were no further WIPT Writing on 5 February 2018, David 95.91°W, 11 km east of Lac du records in SE Manitoba in winter Raitt confirmed Kayer’s assessment Bonnet [town] and 18 km southwest 2017-18 despite numerous and added: “I know of three of the Poplar Bay sighting). Though searches, inquiries in the local [ptarmigan] hit by a car on Highway only a “count week” observation, press, online bird discussions, and 10 near Lake Winnipegosis around this furnished the first CBC record of correspondence with Manitoba Christmas [2017].” On 31 March a ptarmigan for southern Manitoba.1 Conservation staff. Elsewhere, 2018, two WIPT were photographed On 29 December, Daniel Seales reports and correspondence pointed at Grand Rapids by Lee Adam (eBird). photographed a WIPT at Barrier Bay to unusual southerly movements in No ptarmigan was recorded (50.18°N, 95.71°W; 16 km southeast central Manitoba, NW Ontario, and on any of 11 CBCs at The Pas of the Belluk Road sighting) in NE Alberta, but apparently not in between 2009 and 2019, which is Whiteshell Provincial Park. It was also Saskatchewan, eastern Ontario, or consistent with Kayer’s description seen and photographed by Charissa Québec. of sometimes widespread migrants Godfrey on or about the same date. Central Manitoba – Writing on 5 but more localized wintering. Writing Figure 1 is a photo montage February 2018, Joel Kayer reported later (8 June 2020), Kayer and documenting these three records, unusually high numbers of WIPT near Raitt clarified that, when present in which probably involved four The Pas and southward to about numbers near The Pas, WIPT may different birds; others likely visited 53°N in central western Manitoba, be encountered in groups of 10-20 the region, passing unseen or at starting in November 2017. He wrote birds, which sometime combine into least unreported. The three localities to me: “There was an early spurt of flocks of up to 40. In some winters, described above are included in the ptarmigan locally in early November such as 2019-20, ptarmigan are map, Figure 2, which shows many of of singles and small groups and then scarce in the region, with records the additional localities mentioned in in late November and early December limited to a few individuals.

Winter 2020 volume 78.4 BLUE JAY 13 Northwestern Ontario – Devin northeast, in and around North Northern Alberta – Writing on 23 Turner, a wildlife biologist based Spirit Lake, and he forwarded several July 2018, Alberta birder James Fox in northwestern Ontario, was identifiable photographs taken by a told me: “There was a major invasion informed of a group of ptarmigan local resident. Josh Vandermeulen, of Willow Ptarmigan this past winter. (a photograph by an unidentified who compiles Ontario winter reports Every few years a few ptarmigan end observer shows three) at for North American Birds (NAB), was up in Fort McMurray; this is as far Pahngwahshahshk Ohweemushkeeg not aware of any unusual ptarmigan south as they [normally] go. But this Provincial Park, between Red Lake movements in more easterly parts of year there were huge numbers and and North Spirit Lake in January northern Ontario in 2017-18 or other they stayed much longer than usual, 2018. Further correspondence recent winters, but he remarked well into March. Oil companies were received by Turner in March 2018 that there is virtually no coverage of seeking advice from a consulting mentioned unusually large numbers remote winter roads by birders. biologist on keeping the ptarmigan of wintering ptarmigan farther off the roads to avoid running

FIGURE 1: Willow Ptarmigan in southeastern Manitoba in 2017: (a) Poplar Bay, 11 December; (b) Belluk Road, 27 December; (c) Barrier Bay, on or about 29 December. Photo credits: Richard Farquhar, Peter Taylor, Charissa Godfrey.

14 BLUE JAY Winter 2020 volume 78.4 them over. The last eBird record that WIPT moved well southeast of Geographical and historical on 18 March is one of the latest James Bay in winter 2017-18, with context ever. Normally they’re back in the records of up to 14 as far south as This section is primarily concerned Northwest Territories by the end of Rapide-des-Cèdres in early February. with the three Prairie Provinces. February.” However, Normand David and Pierre Information for other parts of Consistent with this summary, Bannon, two of the Québec provincial Canada and the northern United WIPT were recorded on 13 of editors for NAB, did not consider this States is provided for context, but is 33 CBCs at Fort McMurray since movement to be exceptional (email not comprehensive. 1981 (including three count-week to PT). Records along the north shore Canada-wide – The Willow records), with a maximum of 34 of the Gulf of St. Lawrence, between Ptarmigan breeds extensively in on 20 December 1998. Only one Rivière-aux-Graines and Mingan, low-Arctic and some alpine and was recorded on 16 December were also close to the normal limits moorland regions of North America 2017, suggesting that the CBC of winter movement. Pierre noted a and Eurasia.4,5 The North American preceded the main winter influx. much greater movement the previous breeding range extends from Alaska The eBird database shows a cluster winter, including an estimate of to Newfoundland, skirting Hudson of records of up to 40 WIPT in the 1,500 WIPT at the LG-3 hydroelectric Bay and northern parts of James Bay, Fort McMurray area between 23 dam on the La Grande River about extending southward in the western December 2017 and 18 March 2018. 150 km east of James Bay on 21 mountains to southern British Central Saskatchewan – Creighton, November 2016. Columbia, and reaching the north Saskatchewan and nearby Flin Elsewhere – Inquiries to several shore of the Gulf of St. Lawrence in Flon, Manitoba are near the normal other NAB regional editors did not extreme eastern Québec.4,5 Breeding southern limit of the WIPT’s winter reveal any ptarmigan reaching the in the Prairie Provinces is limited to range.2,3 An average of 27 WIPT conterminous U.S.A. (where records extreme northern Manitoba (mostly were recorded on 12 consecutive are extremely rare) in winter 2017-18. within 100 km of the Hudson Bay Creighton CBCs between 2006 and 2017. The maximum of 76 on 2 January 2009 furnishing the highest- ever provincial count total, the minimum was one on 30 December 2016, while 16 were tallied on 16 December 2017.1 The eBird database includes numerous records of WIPT in the Creighton – Flin Flon area between 1 December 2017 and 10 April 2018. Regarding the 2017-18 winter, however, Creighton resident Harvey Schmidt (whose wife Brenda wrote the WIPT account for Birds of Saskatchewan3) informed me: “This year seems normal or slightly above normal, but definitely not a high in this area. We are noticing tracks along the highway further south, so there seems to be some FIGURE 2: Summary of occurrences of Willow Ptarmigan in the three Prairie Provinces. Solid black areas southward movement.” Elsewhere represent the breeding range. Bold, dashed line is estimated extent of normal southward movements. Dotted line is estimated, combined extent of irruptions in the early 1930s (see text). Three dots show the December in Saskatchewan, the most southerly 2017 locations in SE Manitoba. Three short, solid lines show the known extent of large movements in winter 2017-18 records (based on 2017-18 winter in Alberta, Manitoba, and NW Ontario.  indicates important localities mentioned in the text, from west to east: Edmonton and Fort McMurray, Alberta; Prince Albert, Nipawin, and Cumberland eBird) were in the Narrow Hills – House, Saskatchewan; Creighton, Saskatchewan / Flin Flon, Manitoba; The Pas, Grand Rapids, Gypsumville, and Winnipeg, Manitoba. Ñ indicates outlying southerly records, from west to east: Camrose and Sullivan Deschambault Lake area, about Lake, Alberta; Dafoe, Sheho, and Carnduff, Saskatchewan; Aweme, Manitoba. LW = Lake Winnipeg. The 100 km west and slightly south of three water bodies immediately west of Lake Winnipeg, from south to north, are Lake Manitoba, Lake Winnipegosis, and the Cedar-Moose lakes complex. Note that there are five records forN orth Dakota. The Creighton (Figure 3). only Montana record was just south of the British Columbia border, and presumably associated with the Québec – Reports on eBird show montane population.58 No attempt is made to show the winter range in mountainous parts of Alberta.

Winter 2020 volume 78.4 BLUE JAY 15 coast, but farther inland along the winter range in The Birds of 69 to 78°W), Lamothe and Doyon Nunavut border) and a small portion Manitoba is divided into “sporadic” stated that such movements involve of western Alberta in and near Jasper occurrence south to a diagonal fewer and fewer birds.12 They cited National Park.2,6,7 line passing the north end of Lake reports of tens of thousands taken Though some WIPT remain Winnipeg and “extremely rare” by hunters in 1885, 1895, and 1904; throughout much of the breeding south to a line that excludes only the decade-long intervals apparently range in winter, others move into the most intensively farmed (former reflect cyclic population changes.12,16 the northern boreal forest each year, prairie) regions of southwestern and Ontario – Based on accounts of with sporadic movements much central southern Manitoba.2 This early settlers in southern Ontario, farther south.2,3,8-10 Female WIPT is slightly farther south than the ptarmigan were apparently “frequent tend to migrate longer distances estimated winter range boundary migrants into the townships back than males.10,11 Because ptarmigan in Birds of North America, but of Darlington [43.9°N, 78.7°W]”, migration crosses sparsely populated supported by 20th century records east of Toronto in the 19th century.17 regions of the boreal forest, often discussed here.5 Again, the extent of regular concentrating in inaccessible areas, In The Birds of Canada, Godfrey migration seems to have diminished this migration is a rather ghostly defined the southern limit of during the 19th century, such that phenomenon (appropriate for white irregular WIPT migration by recent, unseasonal occurrences at winter plumage!) with fragmentary mentioning the following localities: Toronto and Darlington were extreme records.10 Based on inquiries to Camrose and Sullivan Lake, Alberta; rarities.18 An “unusually southern” conservation officers and other Qu’Appelle Valley, Saskatchewan migration in winter 1896-97 brought boreal-forest residents in the early (rarely); Gypsumville, Ashern, and WIPT as far south as Lake Nipissing 1970s, Höhn found that migrating southern Lake Manitoba, Manitoba; and the Parry Sound district east WIPT tended to show “two separate central Ontario (rarely south to of Lake Huron.17,19 Records for periods of prevalence” in early and Whitby); Chelsea and perhaps northwestern Ontario are sparse, but late winter in the northern boreal Montréal, Québec.4 Note that the Speirs cited regular winter occurrence forest, indicative of southbound occurrence in the Qu’Appelle Valley, at Big Trout Lake and Nikip Lake.20 and northbound movements, but originally mentioned by Mitchell, Manitoba – The three records in occurred mainly in the mid-winter is not substantiated, but there is at December 2017 that inspired this period (November to February) least one valid record farther south.3 article were clustered about 60 km farther south.10 This pattern held The winter diet of WIPT is mostly SE of Lake Winnipeg. A number of true in the 1974-75 winter, when willow (Salix spp.) and birch (Betula historical records of wintering WIPT ptarmigan numbers were below spp.) buds and twiglets (Figure 4), on or near this lake, which extends average.10 Only rarely do any so that occurrence in any region about 400 km from north to south, ptarmigan appear at or beyond of the boreal forest is localized.10 provide local context. The summary the southern fringe of the forest, Prime habitat for hunting ptarmigan by Donald Gunn, as quoted by Ernest sometimes upwards of 1,000 km in winter has been described Thompson [Seton], is helpful: “Very from their breeding range. There as “clusters of small lakes with seldom to be seen south or west of is evidence of a reduction in the expansive willow and alder bushes Lake Winnipeg, but is found in all of magnitude and extent of southern growing along the shorelines, as well the country north and east of that movements over the past two as low-lying marshy river segments lake during the winter season.”21 centuries.3,12,13 that back onto old-growth conifer Writing of Swamp [or Swampy] This complex situation probably stands… [with] patchy burns or Island, now known as Berens Island, accounts for the different depictions exposed rocky ledges for grit.”15 a Mr. Plunkett (also cited by Seton) of WIPT winter range in various Québec – The strongest stated that WIPT were common in field guides and other publications. statements about diminished severe winters only. He noted 20 on Peterson illustrated the situation migration of WIPT since the 19th 16 February 1885, and described the succinctly by drawing a dashed century come from Québec.12 While species as abundant the following boundary through the mid-boreal winter movements may exceed 1,000 winter, with records between 12 forest, but annotating the map km, and occasional incursions still January and 8 March 1886.21 with a note on casual or accidental reach the Abitibi, Saguenay – Lac St. An explorer from Iowa, Frank occurrence much farther south.14 Jean, and North Shore (St. Lawrence) Russell obtained 15 WIPT specimens Similarly, the map of estimated regions (collectively, 48.5 to 49.0°N, between 12 November 1892

16 BLUE JAY Winter 2020 volume 78.4 and 8 February 1893, when he Alexander G. Lawrence mentioned Norman) Criddle of several WIPT at overwintered at Grand Rapids; 10 of reports of WIPT between Poplar River Aweme for a few days during the these are still held at the University of and Berens River (about 52.6°N, winter of 1917-18.25b Writing in Iowa Museum of Natural History.22,23 97.2°W) on 15 November 1926, 1964, Harold Mossop mentioned He stated that they frequented and earlier at Black Bear Island.25a seeing a flock of 18 WIPT in St. Vital the sandy dikes of the lake shore, He subsequently noted that WIPT (Winnipeg) 40 years previously in feeding on willow buds, noting “migrates regularly south in winter to January 1924.29 Mossop (1908-1973) that “the ptarmigan were not Norway House, and very occasionally was just 15 years old at the time abundant this season”, and that to more southern points”.25b of this sighting, but he went on to he never secured more than two or Further scattered reports in describe the 1933-34 invasion, so the three usable specimens in a day’s the early 20th century included 1924 date does not seem to be in hunt. More recent records at Grand the first of five definite North error.29 Bent gave extreme migration Rapids of four WIPT on 16 February Dakota records in 1909 and the dates for Winnipeg of 12 January 1979 (Dominic French) and two first Minnesota record in 1914.26,27 and 21 March (no source or years photographed on 31 March 2018 The Ward brothers, who Percy A. given), but this may refer to a larger (see p. 13) seem more noteworthy Taverner described as “unusually well region than the city alone.30 He also in the current era of less frequent informed sportsmen naturalists”, noted tersely that WIPT migration in irruptions.24a A road-killed bird south knew of five ptarmigan killed in general “has no regularity”.30 of Grand Rapids was Joel Kayer’s only winter near Shoal Lake[s] (west of the Saskatchewan – Historical records WIPT observation during the 2019- south end of Lake Winnipeg) some at Cumberland House and Prince 20 winter (email, 8 June 2020). time prior to 1917.28 Lawrence cited Albert, as compiled in Birds of Long-time bird columnist an observation by N. (presumably Saskatchewan, suggest a change

FIGURE 3: This Willow Ptarmigan was one of six seen near Deschambault Lake, Saskatchewan on 7 April 2018. Photo credit: Annie McLeod.

Winter 2020 volume 78.4 BLUE JAY 17 FIGURE 4: A feeding Willow Ptarmigan selects a bud at Creighton, Saskatchewan on 30 December 2008. Photo credit: Harvey Schmidt.

of WIPT status from regular and usual diet of berries and buds.” They with Lawrence, Waller said the abundant in winter from around did not mention specific years of ptarmigan came south “around the 1820 to the 1880s (though perhaps southward irruptions.7 The reference time of the great blizzard in October not annual by the 1850s), thereafter to cultivated grains recalls the 1931- [1930]” and were still present in becoming much scarcer and probably 32 incursion in Saskatchewan (see considerable numbers at Gypsumville limited to severe winters.3 Based on p. 19), when ptarmigan frequented when he collected this specimen. He Atlas of Saskatchewan Birds, the farmyards and grain elevators in the added that many local First Nation southern limit of normal occurrence Nipawin region.3 residents had never seen a ptarmigan in Saskatchewan since 1966 is near before.25b This was probably 54°N and 53°N at the Alberta and Southerly incursions in the the first of more than 20 WIPT Manitoba boundaries, respectively.13 Prairie Provinces specimens collected by Waller in Earlier records extend about 1.5 It is difficult with 19th and early central Manitoba (mostly at or near degrees of latitude (~170 km) farther 20th century records (up to 1930) Gypsumville and The Pas) and now south, consistent with a northward to distinguish between irruption distributed among several museums range reduction away from the years and then-regular (annual in Canada and the U.S., including the Parklands region.13 or near-annual) occurrences, and Sam Waller Museum in The Pas.23 Alberta – Salt and Salt stated usually impossible to tell if scattered A dozen more observations that WIPT normally move south in southern occurrences reflected large between 5 November 1930 and 23 winter to about 57°N in Alberta, but movements in more remote regions. April 1931, mentioned by Lawrence have been recorded as far south as There is no doubt, however, that (citing numerous observers) Sullivan Lake as mentioned also by several major southward incursions were mostly within the ranges of Godfrey.4,7 Summarizing the species’ took place in the early 1930s. latitude 51-52°N and longitude winter habitat, they wrote that 1930-1931 – A harbinger 97-101°W.25b-g The most southerly WIPT “…frequent frozen muskegs, of a Manitoba irruption was a report was from Rev. O. Chagnon at the borders of lakes and streams, “beautiful skin” collected by Sam Sandy Bay on Lake Manitoba. East of and similar openings in the woods Waller on 13 November 1930 near Lake Winnipeg, two specimens were [but] in some years… they move Gypsumville and sent to Dr. H. M. collected at English Brook on 15 further south into settled regions… Speechly (present status of specimen January 1931 and are preserved at [adding] cultivated grains to their unknown).25b In correspondence the Provincial Museum of Alberta.23

18 BLUE JAY Winter 2020 volume 78.4 While most reports involved fewer Additional Saskatchewan records Murray Park district of Winnipeg, than 10 birds, “large numbers” in 1931 at Maidstone, Carruthers, and west to the East Bay area at were present around the southern and Fort Pitt (all in a band between Dauphin Lake.25l,n-p “Hundreds” were shore of Lake Winnipegosis, with 52.8 and 53.6°N) likely also refer to present along the north shore of 1,000 to 2,000 estimated about this winter.3 There is no indication Lake Manitoba.25p It was evidently 15 miles north of the community in Lawrence’s columns of any a bumper winter for WIPT within of Winnipegosis (about 51.8°N, comparable movement in Manitoba, their normal winter range, with 99.95°W), while “hundreds” were but a specimen taken by Waller at “thousands” between Gods Lake reported farther northwest around Gypsumville is dated 10 March 1932 and Norway House on 10 December Birch River.25d-f Ptarmigan were also and preserved at the Royal Ontario 1933 (A.A. Campbell).25n “fairly abundant about the base of Museum (ROM). 23,36 In Alberta, Farley reported a the northern escarpment of Riding 1932-33 – This winter seems major influx “immediately north and Mountain, and sparsely scattered to have brought only a modest east of Edmonton”.39 He attributed throughout the Dauphin district movement of WIPT to central this irruption to deep snows and (around 51°N, 101°W).25i Manitoba, with Lawrence receiving extremely low temperatures farther Though writing for a Winnipeg only two reports from the Dauphin north, mentioning temperatures near newspaper, Lawrence had region.25h,i Three Gypsumville -50°C in the lower Mackenzie region. correspondents in Alberta, specimens, taken by Waller on 2, Specific communities he mentioned Saskatchewan, and Ontario as 11, and 17 February 1933 are in the were Ardrossan, Ashmont, well as Manitoba. Concurrent with ROM collection. This winter does not Athabasca, and Tawatinaw (all within the 1930-31 WIPT incursion in receive special mention in The Birds 53.5-54.8°N, 111.5-113.5°W). Manitoba, he mentioned sightings of Saskatchewan, nor does it feature From the same region, 10 Donatville in Saskatchewan at Norquay in in other specimen records for the specimens and one from Boyle, mid-December and about 50 miles Prairie Provinces and NW Ontario on collected between 6 December 1933 north of North Battleford (~53.3°N, GBIF.3,23 Some mentions of WIPT in and 5 February 1934, are in the ROM 108.3°W, “common”, undated).25c,d central Ontario and parts of Québec collection (nine birds), the Slater The Birds of Saskatchewan mentions around 1932 and 1933 are uncertain Museum at Puget Sound, and the a southerly record from that winter or ambiguous about the specific Peabody Museum at Yale University.23 at Mozart.3 winter(s).37,38 Lawrence received a description of Farley collected a male in 1933-34 – The winter of 1933- one a little farther west at Barrhead full summer plumage south of 34 brought noteworthy southward about 18 December 1933.25l The Camrose, AB, on 16 May 1931.31 movements by WIPT to southeastern ROM collection of WIPT specimens He was aware of only one previous Manitoba and northern Minnesota, also includes four collected at Red Alberta record south of the North as well as parts of Alberta and Lake, Ontario on 12 December 1933 Saskatchewan River, in the South Ontario, but apparently not and two in the Timiskaming area in Edmonton area “in winter, some Saskatchewan.2,3,39,40 January 1934.23 Three from Smoky years ago”.31 The unseasonable In Manitoba, many observations Falls on 3 December 1933 were only date seems to match the pattern were concentrated at the south end about 200 km from the southern of some extreme southerly records of Lake Winnipeg, including five tip of James Bay, and therefore in Ontario and the northeastern localities within latitude 50.3-50.7°N perhaps within the range of normal United States.18,32-35 It is possible that and longitude 96.4-97.0°W.25k- migration.23 at least some such individuals are m,41c Fred J. Rogers said it was not The 1933-34 incursion yielded an misoriented spring migrants rather uncommon to see 20 at a time astonishing 200+ WIPT observations than lingering winter birds. in the Hillside Beach area, and between 7 December 1933 and 1931-32 – Though WIPT were suggested that the arrival of WIPT 25 April 1934 in northernmost noted regularly in winter at Nipawin, was “apparently the result of the Minnesota (Roseau, Lake of the Saskatchewan during the 1930s, the extremely cold November weather”, Woods, and northern St. Louis greatest influx occurred between a comment echoed 30 years later by counties), substantiated by three 6 November 1931 and 3 April Mossop’s reference to “a particularly specimens held by the J. F. Bell 1932, when ptarmigan frequented wintry 1933 November”.25k,29 Museum in Minneapolis.23,40 There farmyards and grain elevators Additional reports extended south are only two other confirmed southward to Codette and Pontrilas.3 to the Whitemouth area and the Minnesota records (in 1914 and

Winter 2020 volume 78.4 BLUE JAY 19 1964) plus some hearsay reports, and many years, and were “extremely record in Saskatchewan on eBird was no record of comparable invasions in numerous” at Athabasca.42 This east of Prince Albert on 15 December other northern states.26,40 is substantiated by five Athabasca 2014. 1934-35 to present – Contrasting specimens, taken in December with the great winter movements 1960, at the University of Alberta Note on Rock Ptarmigan of 1930-31 and 1933-34, WIPT Museum, Edmonton. Although Other ptarmigan species present were scarce in 1934-35 even in their there seems to be no published an identification challenge, but normal winter territory at Island Lake account of a ptarmigan invasion in do not substantially affect the and Gods Lake.25r The only further either Saskatchewan or Manitoba current review because of limited reports mentioned by Lawrence that winter, the Manitoba Museum range overlap, though a few came from the Whitemouth area has two southerly specimens taken individual ptarmigan may have been in November 1935 and February in January 1961: one from Lake misidentified. Arctic populations 1939, and Dauphin Lake in January Winnipeg SW of Reindeer Island of Willow and Rock Ptarmigan (L. 1937 and January 1941.25s,u,w (~52.3°N, 98.0°W) on the 6th, and muta, ROPT) overlap, but ROPT Near the southern limit of normal one from Homebrook, near the has a more northerly range in both movements, however, Waller north shore of Lake Manitoba on the summer and winter, and does not reported “considerable numbers” in 11th.41a,b normally occur farther south in February 1940 near The Pas, where Records are sparse for WIPT in winter than about Gillam, Manitoba he also collected a specimen on 27 southern Manitoba from 1962 to and Uranium City, Saskatchewan.45,46 November 1939.25v,41d 2016. Two in winter plumage were There is one substantiated Alberta Also at The Pas, WIPT were reported at Winnipeg in 1963 on record at Garden River (18 December “common everywhere in the 9 December and an earlier date.29 2011), while Ontario records are district” in February 1950, and they Near the normal winter range limit, mostly along or near the Hudson were “more plentiful than usual” large flocks NW of Norway House Bay coast.47,48 Exceptional records in January 1954 farther north at in February 1964 were reported to of individual ROPT in southern Sherridon, Manitoba.25x,y As well as Fowke.43 Höhn implied, without Saskatchewan in April and northern the 1939-40 and 1949-50 winters, details, that ptarmigan were present Minnesota (and possibly also NW Waller secured specimens at or during winter near The Pas and Ontario) in May suggest misoriented near The Pas in December 1950, Grand Rapids in the 1970s.10 There spring migration, as with some January 1951 and 1956, and March was a flurry of more southerly unseasonal Willow Ptarmigan records 1960 and 1962.23,41d,e A series of reports in December 1986: two discussed on p. 19.46,49,50 23 specimens from Lac la Ronge, surprisingly in summer or transitional In 1931, Lawrence wrote: “a Saskatchewan at the University plumage at Winnipeg on the 2nd; specimen of the Rock Ptarmigan of Michigan Museum of Zoology, one in transitional plumage near has arrived in Winnipeg, which obtained in January and February Marquette early in the month (Perry was found in Saskatchewan, north 1949, is apparently linked to an Hildebrandt); two near Vogar about and west of The Pas in early March unsuccessful attempt to introduce the 20th and one roadkill east of [1931]”.25f I am unable to trace this WIPT in Michigan, and suggests Lake Manitoba Narrows on the specimen, which pre-dates the seven a strong movement in central 27th.24b,c David Raitt recorded two accepted Saskatchewan records.46 Saskatchewan that winter.5,23 While WIPT along Highway 60 near the Occasionally, leucistic individuals WIPT migration and wintering in north shore of Lake Winnipegosis of other grouse species or Gray northern Saskatchewan is an annual (~52.98°N, 99.94°W) on 23 Partridge (Perdix perdix) have been event, the only hint of southward December 2013 (eBird). misidentified as ptarmigan, but this is invasion numbers in Saskatchewan The southernmost occurrences in also not significant to this review.25j,q since the 1930s is an often-cited Saskatchewan in the last 65 years migrating flock of 2,000 WIPT near involved single birds north of Dafoe Discussion Creighton in March 1973.3,10 on 20 February 1964, wintering at Each year, Willow Ptarmigan Citing the season’s bird summary Sheho until 21 May 1958, and in the concentrate in southern parts of in Audubon Field Notes, Sadler extreme southeast at Carnduff on 6 their Low Arctic breeding range and Myres noted that WIPT moved December 1981.3,13,44 Höhn implied and move varying distances and in farther south in Alberta during occurrence near Smeaton in the early varying (but apparently declining) winter and spring 1961 than for 1970s.10 The most southerly WIPT numbers into the boreal forest.2,3,8-10

20 BLUE JAY Winter 2020 volume 78.4 One can imagine a series of zones Provinces, plus the known extent peaks at roughly 10-year intervals, progressing south across the boreal of some major irruptions and some though there is evidence of recent forest from the southern breeding isolated southerly records. The range breakdown of such cycles, especially limit, in which the winter occurrence boundary in Birds of North America the loss of major peaks, perhaps of WIPT is: (a) “annual” in large is farther south, corresponding due in part to climate change.12,16 numbers; (b) “normal”, with large roughly to “limited” occurrence as Individual irruptions seem to be numbers at least once a decade, defined above.5 The estimated limit limited to one or more portions of and possibly cyclic; (c) “limited” of normal occurrence has a slight the continental range, but this may to stray individuals or small groups diagonal trend across Canada, as do be partly due to limited coverage and and sporadic irruptions (intervals the range limits of many birds and reporting in remote regions. Many may be many decades, possibly other organisms, being farther north anecdotal reports associate irruptions historic only in some regions); and (d) (~57°N) in Alberta and dipping south with severe weather, i.e., extreme “vagrant” individuals only. Taking a from ~53°N at the Manitoba-Ontario cold or major winter storms, which north-south line near the Manitoba- border to ~50°N in eastern Ontario might result in localized southward Saskatchewan border as an example, and Québec.7,12 This reflects the more displacements. Direct, storm-blown these zones appear to extend south southerly latitude of the Taiga Shield displacement seems unlikely, since to about (a) Creighton and Flin Flon; and northern Boreal Shield Ecozones ptarmigan migration appears to (b) The Pas; (c) the “mountains” in eastern than western Canada.51 involve relatively short-range, low- of the Manitoba Escarpment and Irruptive movements well south altitude flight stages, even “walking adjacent plains; (d) just south of of the normal winter range appear much of the way” according to the U.S. border. Data are too sparse to be sporadic rather than cyclic, Taverner (Figure 5).10,52 Writing about to plot the entire winter range in occurring at intervals from one WIPT movements in the Labrador such detail, but Figure 2 includes or two years (as in the 1930s) to Peninsula, Harper noted: “The my estimate of the limit of normal several decades. In North America, local bushmen said that when the winter occurrence in the Prairie some WIPT populations show “White Partridges” come down, it is

FIGURE 5: These boots are made for walking! A Willow Ptarmigan, one of a flock at Creighton, Saskatchewan on 19 February 2009, shows off its densely feathered “snowshoes”. Note that it has just commenced moulting into breeding plumage. Photo credit: Harvey Schmidt.

Winter 2020 volume 78.4 BLUE JAY 21 usually because of sleet in the more first records so far south in Manitoba 6. Artuso C (2018) Willow Ptarmigan. In: northerly areas where they usually since 1986, and the first southeast of Artuso C, Couturier AR, De Smet KD, Koes RF, Lepage D, McCracken J, Mooi R, Taylor pass the winter”.9 This makes sense, Lake Winnipeg since the 1930s. P (Eds.) (2018). The Atlas of the Breeding because sleet could lead to crusting Birds of Manitoba, 2010-2014. Bird Studies of the snow, making it difficult for Acknowledgements Canada. Winnipeg, Manitoba. http://www. ptarmigan to roost under the snow The following correspondents birdatlas.mb.ca/accounts/speciesaccount. surface, as well as encapsulating provided valuable information: Garry jsp?sp=WIPT&lang=en . their food supply of twiglets and Budyk, Dennis Fast, Charissa Godfrey, 7. Salt WR, Salt JR (1976) The birds of buds in ice. Richard Farquhar, Gordon Grieef, Alberta with their ranges in Saskatchewan Sporadic irruptions by northern Joel Kayer, Rudolf Koes, Katherine and Manitoba. Hurtig, Edmonton, Alberta. Sharp-tailed Grouse (Tympanuchus p. Patterson, David Raitt, Daniel 8. Jehl JR Jr (2004) Birdlife of the Churchill phasianellus), e.g., in 1865-66, 1896- Seales (Manitoba); Stuart Houston, region: status, history and biology. Trafford 97, 1932-33, 1967-68, and 1968-69 Harvey Schmidt (Saskatchewan); Publishing, Victoria. in central Ontario, have been linked James Fox (Alberta); David Elder, 9. Harper F (1958) Birds of the Ungava to exceptionally high population Brian Ratcliff, Devin Turner, Josh Peninsula. University of Kansas, Lawrence. levels.53-55 Unusual southerly records Vandermeulen (Ontario); Pierre 10. Höhn EO (1984) Willow Ptarmigan in the of at least a few WIPT coincided with Bannon, Normand David (Québec); boreal forest of the Prairie Provinces. Blue most if not all of these movements. Adam Byrne (Michigan); Peder Jay 42:8388. Summarizing the findings of several Svingen (Minnesota); Ron Martin 11. Weeden RB (1964) Spatial separation researchers around 1990, Hannon (North Dakota); Andrew Rapp of sexes in Rock and Willow Ptarmigan in et al. described WIPT migration (Virginia). Special thanks are due to winter. The Auk 81:534-541. thus: “Movements [are] precipitated Randall Mooi, Curator of Zoology at 12. Lamothe P, Doyon M-R (1996) Willow by snow cover on breeding sites; The Manitoba Museum, for access Ptarmigan. In: The breeding birds of birds move to areas with greater to specimen information, copies Québec: Atlas of the breeding birds of southern Québec (J. Gauthier and Y. Aubry, vegetative cover, possibly to escape of Chickadee Notes columns, and eds.). Province of Québec Society for the predation, but not because of food many other resources. I also thank Protection of Birds and Canadian Wildlife shortage”.5 However, this summary Anita Drabyk, Randall Mooi, Brian Service, Montréal, Québec, pp. 422-425.

seems to refer to normal migration Ratcliff, and Spencer Sealy for helpful 13. Smith AR (1996) Atlas of Saskatchewan rather than sporadic irruption. comments on a draft manuscript. birds. Special Publication No. 22, Donald Hooper attributed the All websites cited below were Saskatchewan Natural History Society, gradual diminution of ptarmigan verified on 12 August 2020. Regina. migration in Saskatchewan to the 14. Peterson RT, Peterson VE (1980) A field gradual advance of settlement and 1. Audubon Christmas Bird Count. http:// guide to the birds [east of the Rockies]. farming.56 www.audubon.org/conservation/science/ Fourth Edition, Houghton Mifflin, Boston. christmas-bird-count. The population dynamics of WIPT 15. Skok A (2017) Hunting ptarmigan in is a complex subject of extensive 2. Holland GE, Taylor P (2003) Willow winter: the 5 things you need to know. research throughout its circumpolar Ptarmigan. In: Manitoba Avian Records https://www.outdoorcanada.ca/hunting- Committee, The Birds of Manitoba, ptarmigan-in-winter-the-5-things-you-need- range, as summarized in a recent, Manitoba Naturalists Society, Winnipeg, to-know/ . multi-author review.57 While Yukon Manitoba, p. 151. populations have been monitored 16. Mossop DH (2011) Long-term studies 3. Schmidt B (2019) Willow Ptarmigan. of Willow Ptarmigan and Gyrfalcon in closely for several decades, data are In: Birds of Saskatchewan (A. R. Smith, the Yukon Territory: A collapsing 10-year apparently sparse for the central C. S. Houston, J. F. Roy, editors), Nature cycle and its apparent effect on the top Canadian Arctic, whence many of Saskatchewan, Regina, p. 131. predator. In: Gyrfalcons and ptarmigan in a changing world (conference proceedings), the migrants that reach the southern 4. Godfrey WE (1986) The birds of Canada. The Peregrine Fund, Boise, Idaho. Vol. 1, pp. Prairie Provinces likely originate.16,57 Revised edition. National Museum of Natural 323-336. Whatever drives and limits the Sciences, Ottawa, Ontario. 17. Fleming JH (1907) Birds of Toronto, most southerly winter movements, 5. Hannon SJ, Eason PK, Martin K (1998) Canada. Part II, Land birds. The Auk 24:71- I feel privileged to have witnessed Willow Ptarmigan (Lagopus lagopus), version 89. one of the extreme occurrences in 2.0. In: The Birds of North America (A. F. southeastern Manitoba in December Poole and F. B. Gill, Editors). Cornell Lab of 18. Burrell MVA, Charlton BN, Burrell KGD, Ornithology, Ithaca, New York. https://doi. 2017. These were apparently the Vandermeulen JD, Lamond WG, Lucas TB, org/10.2173/bna.369 . Mann BA, Pratt PD, Sutherland DA (2018)

22 BLUE JAY Winter 2020 volume 78.4 Ontario Bird Records Committee Report for 30. Bent AC (1932) Life histories of North 44. Taylor RR (1964) A southerly record of the 2017. Ontario Birds 36:58-88. American gallinaceous birds. U.S. National Willow Ptarmigan. Blue Jay 22:57. Museum Bulletin No. 162, Smithsonian 45. Larche RA, Sealy SG (1977) Inland records 19. Fleming JH (1901) A list of the birds of Institution, Washington, DC. the districts of Parry Sound and Muskoka, of the Rock Ptarmigan in Manitoba. Blue Jay Ontario. The Auk 18:33-45. 31. Farley FL (1932) Willow Ptarmigan, 35:99-100. Lagopus lagopus, in central Alberta in May. 46. Dickson RD (2019) Rock Ptarmigan. 20. Speirs JM (1985) Birds of Ontario. Canadian Field-Naturalist 46:208-209. Natural Heritage / Natural History Inc., In: Birds of Saskatchewan (A. R. Smith, Toronto, Ontario. Volume II, p. 207. 32. Applegate RD (1996) Extralimital C. S. Houston, J. F. Roy, editors), Nature occurrences of Willow Ptarmigan, Lagopus Saskatchewan, Regina, p. 132. 21. Thompson [Seton] EE (1890) The birds lagopus, in Maine. Canadian Field-Naturalist 47. Kuipers K, Kuipers N, Storer P (2012) of Manitoba. Proceedings of the U.S. 110:715. National Museum 13:457-643 [No. 841]. Rock Ptarmigan – a new bird for Alberta. Blue As reprinted in “Ernest Thompson Seton in 33. Massachusetts Avian Records Committee Jay 70:56-57. Manitoba 1882-1892” (with introduction (2009) Thirteenth Annual Report of the 48. Lumsden HG (1964) The Rock Ptarmigan, by C.S. Houston), Premium Ventures Ltd. Massachusetts Avian Records Committee Lagopus mutus rupestris, in Ontario and and Manitoba Naturalists Society, Winnipeg, (MARC), http://maavianrecords.com/annual- Manitoba. Canadian Field-Naturalist 78:161- Manitoba, 1980. reports/13th/. 167. 22. Russell F (1898) Explorations in the Far 34. Vermont Bird Records Committee (2019) 49. Hoffman K (1996) A Rock Ptarmigan at North. University of Iowa, pp. 260-261. An annotated list of vagrant, out-of-season Grand Marais [Minnesota]. The Loon 68:79. and rare nesting birds of Vermont. https:// 23. Global Biodiversity Information Facility, vtecostudies.org/wildlife/wildlife-watching/ 50. Eckert KR (1996) Some additional https://www.gbif.org/ and VertNet, https:// vbrc/annotated-bird-list/. comments on the Rock Ptarmigan in Grand www.vertnet.org/. There is substantial Marais [Minnesota]. The Loon 68:80-81. overlap between these two database portals. 35. New York State Avian Records Committee (2016) Special report of the 51. Canadian Council on Ecological Areas 24. Hatch DRM (various years) Chickadee New York State Avian Records Committee: (2014) Ecozones of Canada Version 2014.02. Notes, Winnipeg Free Press. (a) 16 Feb 1979, Addition of six new species to the New York https://www.ccea.org/Downloads/shapefiles/ (b) 17 Jan 1987, (c) 14 Feb 1987. checklist. The Kingbird 66: 264-274. CA_ecozones_1M_v5_final_map%20 v20140213.pdf. 25. Lawrence AG (various years) Chickadee 36. Shortt TM, Waller S (1937) The birds Notes, Winnipeg Free Press. (a) No. 306, 3 of the Lake St. Martin region, Manitoba. 52. Taverner PA (1926) Birds of Western Feb 1927, (b) No. 504, 21 Nov 1930, (c) No. Contributions, Royal Ontario Museum, Canada. Department of Mines, Ottawa 512, 16 Jan 1931, (d) No. 517, 20 Feb 1931, Zoology 10:1-51. (reprinted, 1974, Coles, Toronto). (e) No. 520, 13 Mar 1931, (f) No. 523, 3 Apr 1931, (g) No. 529, 15 May 1931, (h) No. 37. Smith WJ (1957) Birds of the Clay Belt 53. Lumsden HG (2005) “Prairie Grouse”, 615, 6 Jan 1933, (i) No. 620, 10 Feb 1933, of Northern Ontario and Quebec. Canadian Tympanuchus cupido X phasianellus, (j) No. 628, 7 Apr 1933, (k) No. 664, 15 Dec Field-Naturalist 71:163-181. hybridization on Manitoulin Island, Ontario. 1933, (l) No. 666, 29 Dec 1933, (m) No. Canadian Field-Naturalist 119:507-514. 38. Brassard JA, Bernard R (1937) Willow 668, 12 Jan 1934, (n) No. 673, 16 Feb 1934, Ptarmigan at the Quebec Zoological (o) No. 674, 23 Feb 1934, (p) No. 679, 30 54. Elder DH (1979) Birds of the Geraldton Gardens. The Auk 54:514-515. Mar 1934, (q) No. 707, 12 Oct 1934, (r) No. district. Ontario Field-Biologist 33:26-41. 729, 15 Mar 1935, (s) No. 776, 7 Feb 1936, 39. Farley FL (1934) Unusual migration of 55. Escott NG (2003) The Sharp-tailed Grouse (t) No. 824, 8 Jan 1937, (u) No. 935, 24 Feb Willow Ptarmigan into central Alberta during in Thunder Bay District. Ontario Birds 21:2- 1939, (v) No. 987, 23 Feb 1940, (w) No. the winter of 1933-34. Canadian Field- 14. 1039, 21 Feb 1941, (x) No. 1501, 24 Feb Naturalist 48:120. 1950, (y) No. 1707, 5 Feb 1954. 56. Hooper DF (1992) Birds of east-central 40. Janssen RB (1987) Birds in Minnesota: Saskatchewan. Special Publication No. 18, 26. Roberts TS (1932) The birds of a field guide to the distribution of 400 Saskatchewan Natural History Society, Regina. Minnesota. University of Minnesota Press, species of birds in Minnesota. University of Minneapolis (two volumes). Minnesota Press, Minneapolis. 57. Fuglei E, Henden J-A, Callahan CT, Gilg O, Hansen J, Ims RA, Isaev AP, Lang J, McIntyre 27. Martin R (North Dakota Bird Records 41. The Manitoba Museum, Winnipeg, CL, Merizon RA, Mineev OY, Mineev YN, Committee). Personal communication, email, Willow Ptarmigan specimens, (a) 1-2-2203, Mossop D, Nielsen OK, Nilsen EB, Pedersen 5 March 2018. (b) 1-2-2384, (c) 1-2-2425, (d) 1-2-2552, (e) ÅØ, Schmidt NM, Sittler B, Willebrand MH, 1-2-2553. 28. Taverner PA (1918 and 1919) The birds of Martin K (2020) Circumpolar status of Arctic ptarmigan: population dynamics and trends. Shoal Lake, Manitoba [published in three parts], 42. Sadler TS, Myers MT (1976) Alberta Birds Ambio 49(3):749-761. Ottawa Naturalist 32:137-144 and 157-164; 1961-1970. Occasional Paper #1, Provincial Canadian Field-Naturalist 33:12-20. Museum of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta. 58. Stanford HP (1914) Willow Ptarmigan in Montana. The Auk 31:399. 29. Mossop H (1964) Chickadee Notes, 43. Fowke SC (1964) Winter birds of Norway Winnipeg Free Press. No. 468 (second House. Blue Jay 22:56-57. series), 4 Jan 1964.

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