Nesting Documentation for the White-Tailed Ptamigan in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains, New Mexico

Abstract

The southernmost extent of the range of White-tailed Ptarmigan (Lagopus leucura) reaches into north-central New Mexico. Although known to occur in New Mexico since around 1865, their exact distribution and abundance is not well known. This is primarily because the species is an alpine obligate, which has made efforts to survey difficult. Here I describe the first nest of the species found in New Mexico, and discuss the persistence and future prospects for the species at the southern extent of its range.