Chapters 2.2

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Suggested citation for this chapter.

Marx,K. (2022) Birds. In The Student Encyclopedia of Canadian Indigenous Foods. Editor, M.N. Raizada, University of Guelph, Canada. http://www.firstnationsfoods.org/

General background information

Description of the Ptarmigan

The ptarmigan is a species of wild game bird native to the arctic and alpine regions of North America. It is anatomically similar to a grouse or a partridge, though smaller and more stockily built, weighing from 350 to 800 grams, depending on breed, gender, and maturity (Aniskowicz, 1994). Ptarmigans are highly adapted to the cold climate in which they live; they have inflatable combs above their eyes (more visible on males) that can retract against the cold, as well as thickly feathered feet that help them walk in the snow (Reilly, 1968).

Willow Ptarmigans (Troutman, 2021).
There are three subspecies of ptarmigan; the rock, willow, and white-tailed ptarmigans. The main differences in these breeds are their size and plumage. Willow ptarmigans typically are the largest of the three; they are plumper than the others and can weigh anywhere from 450 to 800 grams (females are usually smaller than males). Rock ptarmigans are a more intermediate size, and white-tails are the smallest, normally weighing around 350 grams (Aniskowicz, 1994).

Like other birds, ptarmigans molt seasonally. Their plumage changes to match the settings in which they live and provide camouflage for protection. During the winter months, their feathers turn white to blend in with the snow; a distinguishing feature of the ptarmigan is that willows and rocks have black tail feathers that remain black through the winter, while white-tailed ptarmigans have white tail feathers year-round (hence their name). During the breeding season, female ptarmigans develop a mottled or barred grey and brown plumage, while males delay their molt, and turn grey-brown more slowly over the course of the season (Reilly, 1968). In the summer months, ptarmigans have colorful, barred wings and necks, and white breasts and undersides. Willows tend to be more chestnut in color with black lacing throughout their wings, and rocks and white-tails are more grey and brown. Rocks are more solidly colored and have more barring along their backs and necks, while white-tails tend to have more white along the underside, are more mottled, and have darker flecking along the breast.

Cooking and preparation

Ptarmigans were very widely sought after by Indigenous tribes all over northern Canada. They were most commonly hunted using nets and snares set in branches, though they were also shot using bows and arrows, crossbows, bolas and stones, and, later on, rifles. The meat is reported to have been cooked in many ways, including roasting or smoking over a fire, boiled in spruce bark pots with stones places in them, or dried in the sun. It was also added in to soups and stews, and some Indigenous tribes ate the eggs as well (Helm, 1981). Because a single bird yields little meat, the ptarmigan was usually eaten fresh, though excess meat could usually be frozen by storing it in permafrost pockets after it had been cleaned and prepared.

Nutrition information

Ptarmigans are mostly herbivores, and consume a diet similar to grouse. In the summer months, they rely on the wide variety of sparse tundra plants for leaves, buds, seeds, flowers, bulbs, and berries to eat. They also eat some mosses, as well as insects and spiders. In the winter time, when vegetation is less readily available, ptarmigans rely on the the seeds, buds, and twigs of low-hanging trees, such as alders, willows, and dwarf birches. Some also scratch in shallow snow to search for buried vegetation, and others eat the needles and buds of pine, spruce, and fir trees. (Reilly, 1968).

Ptarmigan is one of the healthiest meats available. It is a very nutrient-dense, lean source of protein; a 100-gram serving of white meat contains 23 grams of protein, is low in saturated fat, and high in many minerals that are beneficial to health, such as iron, (31%) phosphorus, (29%) zinc, (10%) magnesium, (9%) and riboflavin (31%). (Fitbit, 2021).

Geography

Cornell University: Ptarmigan Range Map, 2021).

Ptarmigans are indigenous to the arctic and alpine regions of North America and the United Kingdom. They are found in the northern regions of Canada; primarily the tundra regions, which include the Yukon and Northwest Territories, and Nunavut. They can also be found in northern and western British Columbia, most of Newfoundland, and the northernmost parts of most other provinces

Connections to indigenous communities

Ptarmigans were, and still are, one of the most wildly consumed species of bird by Indigenous groups in northern Canada. They are a northern species, most commonly used by the hundreds of northern-dwelling Indigenous tribes residing in the Yukon and Northwest Territories, Nunavut, and the northernmost parts of British Columbia. Some of the Indigenous tribes reported to have hunted and eaten ptarmigans include the Kaska, Gwich’in, Eyak, Yupik, Inuit, Chipewyan, Ontario First Nations, Cree, and Montagnais. They highly valued by some Indigenous cultures, as they were believed to bring good fortune. For example, some cultures ate ptarmigan eggs because they believed that cracking the eggs would bring rain. These birds were hunted primarily for their meat, which sustained Indigenous people through the winters, and also for their feathers, which could be used in clothing, as well as for cleaning (Vaughan, 1992). The ptarmigans have a close relationship with the arctic Indigenous peoples that is reflected in their legends, toys, and artwork.

Benefits to indigenous communities

Because ptarmigans are a northern-dwelling species, they are located in very remote areas and are not a very commonly known bird. Apart from those who regularly hunt game birds in the northern regions, ptarmigans are used almost exclusively by northern Indigenous tribes and communities. They are not currently bred in captivity for meat on any large scale, and are not produced for any commercial market. Because ptarmigans are native to Canada, a license is required to attain and keep them. If Indigenous people wished to raise these birds in captivity and produce them for meat, they could likely sell it for a good price, since most game birds are produced on smaller scales and therefore tend to be more expensive. Farming ptarmigans to local northern regions could bring job opportunities to Indigenous communities, as well as an easy revenue.

Limitations for indigenous communities

If ptarmigans were to be farmed by Indigenous communities, it could potentially be a costly undertaking. Northern Indigenous communities may have better luck with this endeavor, as ptarmigans are accustomed to tundra climates and could be raised in an enclosed outdoor space, meaning they would require little more than adequate feed and shelter. However, they would most likely only be able to sell the meat locally, as export from the arctic regions of Canada is very expensive, and prices on items imported to these parts tend to inflate dramatically. If Indigenous groups outside of these regions wanted to farm ptarmigans, it would be even more difficult, as they would first need to attain the rights to capture and relocate these birds to be able to keep them, and then they would need to either adapt the bird to the new climate, or change the climate to suit the bird. If kept in warmer regions, the ptarmigans would likely need to be kept indoors, in a climate-controlled facility where it is cold enough for them to thrive, and the lighting is adjusted to sync with the daylight hours in the tundra. This could become very expensive, as it would require a lot of electricity to sustain this sort of simulated environment.

References

1. Aniskowicz, B.T. (1994). Ptarmigan. Hinterland Who’s Who - Ptarmigan. Retrieved November 24, 2021, from http://www.hww.ca/en/wildlife/birds/ptarmigan.html

2. Cornell University (n.d) Rock Ptarmigan Range Map, All About Birds, Cornell Lab of Ornithology. Retrieved November 25, 2021, from http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Rock_Ptarmigan/maps-range.

3. FitBit. (n.d.). Designer. Calories in Ptarmigan, White, Meat, Raw - Nutritional Information and Diet Info. Retrieved October 23, 2021, from https://www.fitbit.com/foods/Ptarmigan+White+Meat+Raw/2114.

4. Helm J (ed.) Handbook of North American Indians, Volume 6: Subarctic. Washington, DC: Smithsonian Institution, 1981.

5. Reilly, E.M. 1968. The Audubon Illustrated Handbook of American Birds. McGraw-Hill Book Company, New York.

6. Troutman. (2021, October 20). Willow Ptarmigan. Audubon. Retrieved November 23, 2021, from https://www.audubon.org/field-guide/bird/willow-ptarmigan#photo9.

7. Vaughan R: Birds and Arctic Peoples. In: In Search of Arctic Birds: edn, London: T & AD. Poyser; 1992: 20-18.

8. Wein, E. E. & Freeman. M. M. R. (1995). Frequency of Traditional Food Use by Three Yukon First Nations in Four Communities. Arctic, 48(2). 161-171.