Recentry, two populations of the Japanese Ptarmigan are found on Mt. Hiuchi (8, 075 ft.) and Mt. Yakeyama (7, 872 ft), Kubiki Mountain Range, northern part of central Japan (Fig. 1). Oen sub-adult group of the bird was observed on Mt. Yakeyama in 1969, which suggested a possibility of its breeding on the mountain.
The ptarmigan is one of the national monuments in Japan. Few ecological observations on the ptarmigan are carried out on Mt. Fuji (12, 385 ft.), Mt. Hiuchi and Mt. Iizuna (6, 288 ft).
Extinction of the ptarmigan caused by human works on Mt. Fuji (the highest mountain in Japan) was reported by Chiba in 1971.
Detailed observations of the ptarmigan on Mt. Yakeyama were made during June 24-28, 1971 to get some ecological informations. Vegetations of the mountain, size and structure of the population, their nest and eggs and evaluations of their habitat are reported on this paper.
Mt. Yakeyama is a cone-shaped mountain that has a large crater on the top. The top has a very poor vegetation causing by active volcano. Some patches of
Pinus pumila are found on southern slope near the top, and
Alnus maximowiczii surrounds the mountain (Fig. 6).
Two pairs of ptarmigan showed up on the southern slope above 7, 544 ft. high. One nest containing six eggs nearly hatched was found in deep
Pinus pumila bush (Fig. 3).
Summer and winter droppings (Figs. 2-a, 2-b) and sandbaths are marked on the map (Fig. 5).This seems to show their habitat on this mountain.
They come down to get foods (buds appearing on snow) as low as 5, 904 ft. in winter, on the other, in summer they stay mostly around the top to avoid terrestrial predators.
A few ptarmigans were observed in early spring and late fall on Mt. Myoko (8, 023 ft.) where no nest had been reported. These records suggest the possibility of temporary shortdistance migration in snow season.
Breeding site of the bird supposed to be restricted to pine bush on this mountain. Two or three breeding pairs supposed to lay their eggs in this bush (the second pair would lay their eggs after the first nestlings were fledged): they seem to use the same nesting site alternatively. In many cases, chickens of the Japanese Ptarmigan were found in June in other mountains whereas some immediately after hatched were observed on Mt. Yakeyama in August.
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