BirdAnalyst
Species · BBS 2025 Release · 1966–2024

White-tailed Ptarmigan

PhasianidaeGame birdsLagopus leucura

White-tailed Ptarmigan has no long-term trend on record.

n/aSince n/aTrendPercent change in the route-weighted abundance index between a smoothed baseline window and the most recent one. It tracks direction, not absolute population.Full methodology →
5RoutesSurvey routesHow many standard-protocol BBS routes contributed counts. More routes means a steadier, better-sampled index; very thin coverage is suppressed.Full methodology →
12Years SurveyedYears surveyedNumber of years with at least one standard-protocol run in this geography. A longer record makes the trend more reliable.Full methodology →

About the White-tailed Ptarmigan

The White-tailed Ptarmigan (Lagopus leucura) is a North American member of the Pheasants, Grouse & Turkeys (Phasianidae). In this analysis it is grouped with the game birds.

Size
12–47 in long (30–120 cm) — a ground-dwelling game bird (typical for the family)
Habitat
Fields, brushland, prairie and the forest floor, where it forages and nests on the ground.
Diet
Seeds, grain, buds, leaves and insects gathered on the ground.
Range
Recorded on 5 Breeding Bird Survey routes across 2 states.
Family
Phasianidae · Game birds

Notable White-tailed Ptarmigan TrendsNotable signalsLong-arc shifts the engine flags automatically — sustained declines or increases large enough to stand out from year-to-year noise.Full methodology →

No notable trend signals for White-tailed Ptarmigan. See the full index history below.

Where the White-tailed Ptarmigan Is Detected

BBS routes recording White-tailed Ptarmigan, sized by most recent count.

White-tailed Ptarmigan Population Trend by State

White-tailed Ptarmigan population trend by state.
TrendPercent change in the route-weighted abundance index between a smoothed baseline window and the most recent one. It tracks direction, not absolute population.Full methodology →Baseline yearThe first year of the smoothed window the trend is measured from. An earlier baseline means a longer record stands behind the number.Full methodology →Survey routesHow many standard-protocol BBS routes contributed counts. More routes means a steadier, better-sampled index; very thin coverage is suppressed.Full methodology →
Coloradoinsufficient datan/a4
Montanainsufficient datan/a1

White-tailed Ptarmigan Conservation Status

White-tailed Ptarmigan is tracked across BBS survey routes; no formal conservation-status flag is recorded here.

Source: USGS North American Breeding Bird Survey, retrieved 2026-05-22. Trend is a route-weighted relative-abundance index, not an absolute population.