The ptarmigan lives above the timberline, in grasslands with small shrubs interspersed with rocks and detritus. In late summer and early autumn it goes as far as the moraines and gravel bars at the edge of the snows and glaciers, even as high as 3000 m.
The species is characterized by a wingspan of 55-60 cm, and a plumage which is completely white in winter except for the tail feathers which remain black in both sexes; in summer, however, the male turns a greyish-brown colour, and the female is reddish-brown. It mainly feeds on legumes and other highly digestible dicotyledons.
Nesting has been confirmed in every valley of the park, from 2200 m up to 2900 m. It is a difficult species to find, but during the summer months you can see the ptarmigan in flight in the morning or in the evening.

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