Willow Ptarmigan
Lagopus lagopus
Alaska, Dalton Highway, approx. 20 miles south of Prudhoe Bay / Deadhorse.
Canon 6d, Canon 500 F4 IS lens, 1.4x ii converter
Sunny Conditions
Me and my father were driving south on the Dalton Highway (the highway on the show, Ice Road Truckers) and I noticed what looked like a motionless chicken head protruding out of the tundra. I walked up on this strange bird and encountered several more that flew about 100 yards away, I pursued them. Luckily, after I approached them again, they relied on camouflage and hid from me, rather than taking off. I actually had one that was within 3 feet from me. It was on the other side of a small bush...as I would walk one way around the bush, it would walk around the other way lol. Very unique bird, both in behavior and appearance.