Appearance:

Slightly bigger and more heavy build than Ptarmigan, with clearly heavier bill. Summer plumage warm brown above with white belly, showing a warmer brown than Ptarmigan. Winter plumage all white in both sexes, except for black tail. Males lacking black lores. Wings always white in all plumages in nominate ssp. lagopus, and brown in ssp. scotica.

Sound:

Very characteristic calls: "Kuwa -Kuwa -Kuwa" (go back!) Also: "kauw kauwkkkrrrkekekekekeke" with a short pause after first "kauw", then a decelerating cackle, often followed by the "go back" call.

Song:

Distribution:

Wikipedia: map (se also Xeno-canto below)

Ecology:

Birdlife ecology

Links:

Observation.org Latest observations

Video IBC

Image search Flickr NB! May give other species

Sound search at Xeno-canto

CC

CC-sound:Terje Kolaas, Licence,Link.

Appearance:

Large, stocky Calidris. Easily identified when direct size-comparison with congeners possible. Elongated body shape and short legs. Bill robust, short and straight. Summer plumage: Upperparts speckled in brown and grey, underparts warm rufous brown, like Curlew Sandpiper. Legs dark. Winter- and juvenile plumage: Pale grey upperparts (scaly pattern in juveniles), and white belly. Legs greenish in both juveniles and winter-plumaged adults. Note pale grey rump and uniformly grey tail in flight. Wing-bars less prominent than in Sanderling.

Sound:

Most commonly heard migratory call, a short "kut" or "knot". Sometimes given in stuttering series. Song an undulating, nasal mewing "poooor-mee", or "po-hor-mee".

Contact call, song:

Distribution:

Wikipedia: map (se also Xeno-canto below)

Ecology:

Birdlife ecology

Links:

Observation.org Latest observations

Video IBC

Image search Flickr NB! May give other species

Sound search at Xeno-canto

Featherbase

CC

CC-sounds:Stein Ø. Nilsen, XC317787. Accessible at www.xeno-canto.org/317787.