Willow Ptarmigan or Willow Grouse, state bird of Alaska, seen in Denali

.flickr-photo { border: solid 2px #000000; } .flickr-yourcomment { } .flickr-frame { text-align: left; padding: 3px; } .flickr-caption { font-size: 0.8em; margin-top: 0px; } Willow Ptarmigan or Willow Grouse, state bird of Alaska, seen in, originally uploaded by blather. Get high resolution photographs of the Willow Ptarmigan » Summer plumage (white in winter). I got close and personal with a few willow ptarmigans in Denali - usually, however, they were hiding in bushes, making it very difficult to get a clean photograph. "The male Willow Grouse is unique in its nesting behaviour. In all other species of grouse, only the female takes responsibility for the young. However, the male Willow Grouse often takes responsibility of the young by staunchly defending his territory and his young. Males have even been documented to have attacked a Grizzly Bear and will attack humans who distract their young." "In Finnish Lapland, the Willow Grouse...