The willow ptarmigan is the state bird, and one of the most popular targets of small-game hunters. Ptarmigan—willow, rock, and white-tailed—are similar to pheasant, quail, and partridge in the Lower 48. They reproduce in large quantities, molt from winter white to summer brown, and have a poor sense of self-preservation. The various Alaskan place-names containing “Chicken” usually refer to ptarmigan, which the namers had difficulty spelling.