We've been hoping to see rjúpa, or Rock Ptarmigan (Lagopus muta) in Iceland and tonight we got lucky. Eric spotted a small flock of seven birds after dinner. The light was getting dim, but I managed a few photos to share.
Check out the feathers covering the legs and feet! The Cornell Lab of Ornithology says, "Their feathered feet help them to walk on deep snow and to dig snow burrows and tunnels for refuge from severe cold."
Here are a couple more showing several birds and some of the habitat:
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