Close-up portrait of a male willow ptarmigan (Lagopus lagopus) showing early breeding colors in its neck and eye combs, surveying its high-country territory in Southcentral Alaska's Chugach Mountains on an April day. The head and neck will become completely chocolate-brown as the bird's breeding colors develop, Alaska, United States of America

horizontal field winter cold outdoors day daytime view animal sunlight color colour close up beautiful sunny bright america look movement speckled brown stand colors colours stands portrait alert tourism bird looking standing camouflage sunlit snowy fields usa aware posed pose crest ptarmigan camouflaged viewing observing seasonal neck willow looks us willows blending us changes avian awareness comb grouse wintertime plumage snow covered alaska alaskan chugach parks looking out tourist destination side view looking away willow ptarmigan state park the states portraits copy space state parks ptarmigans views full length grey background vantage point tourist attractions combs aves attractions alertness animal eyes destinations changing colours changing colors animal behaviour selective focus necks animals lagopus animal themes poses wild animal camouflages camouflaging wild nature beauty white wildlife animal theme snow beauty in nature eye pristine outside phasianidae snow covered nobody eyes red changing color season seasons moving attraction change changing destination travel park chugach mountains birds feather feathers tundra one animal surface level color image lagopus lagopus changing colour united states united states of america wild animals close up tourist attraction travel destination travel destinations non urban scene animals in the wild game birds galliformes place of interest tourist destinations crests blending in gamebird gamebirds game bird ak colour image no one no people surface view white colour white color cold temperature animal eye cold temperatures three quarter view holiday destination holiday destinations male animal tourism industry brightly lit willow grouse gray background without people tourist industry grouses willow ptarmigans chugach state park chugach range wildlife photography places of interest white snow animal neck male animals chugach mountain range pelage turning head tetraoninae gallinaceous animal photography head turned alternate plumage colour change facing right pacific coast ranges color change breeding colors breeding colours front view half length closeup usa turned head turned heads willow grouses winter season nature photos looking into the distance vantage points animal necks color changes animal coloration head turning turning heads heads turned speckled animal speckled animals animal colouration animal crest galliform animal crests bird crest bird crests colour changes colorchange colourchange bird comb bird combs animal comb chugach ranges chugachs animal behavior heads turning state of alaska eye comb eye combs animal combs early breeding colors early breeding colours