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Living World

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Intimate encounters and extraordinary observations of wild nature in Britain and beyond.

The Living World

Living World: Ptarmigan

Ptarmigan

20/02/2011

BBC Radio 4 - Living World, Ptarmigan

The Living World treks up the slopes of the Cairngorm mountains to find Ptarmigan.

The Cairngorm plateau is mainland Britain's piece of Arctic tundra and a great place to find one of the iconic birds of the snow clad heathlands.

The high plateaus of the Scottish highlands are mainland Britain's piece of Arctic tundra, especially the high slopes of the Cairngorm mountain range. Here, on the "roof of Scotland" the vegetation of the heathland changes from one which is good for grouse to another that best suits the Arctic grouse, Ptarmigan. In winter this hardy bird acquires white plumage and nothing short of a set of snow boots! 

Lionel Kelleway joins Cairngorm Mountain Head Ranger Nic Bullivant on the snow fields of Caringorm looking for the Ptarmigan in their harsh and open mountain-scape. 

Presented by Lionel Kelleway
Produced by Polly Procter.

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