Definition of "snowcock"

The landscapes were bare and dismal, spotted with patches of stunted birch. There are some Lapp huts, which look like snowcocks in the distance.

1859, “The Lapland Reindeer and Northern Lights”, in W. Meynell Whittemore, editor, The Church Scholar’s Magazine, London: Wertheim, Macintosh, & Hunt, […], page 339

Another species of Snow-cock occasionally obtained by Indian sportsmen is Tetraogallus tibetanus, Gould, figured in the Birds of Asia, pt. V., pl. 4; but as it has not, I believe, been procured on this side of the Snowy range, I shall only briefly describe it without giving it a place among the Birds of India.

1864, T[homas] C[averhill] Jerdon, “Ord[er] Rasores”, in The Birds of India: Being a Natural History of All the Birds Known to Inhabit Continental India; […], volume III, Calcutta, West Bengal: George Wyman and Co., […], page 554

A party which ascended the highest peak (Seetaram, 15,000 feet) a week ago, came across a brood of Snow-Cock, and captured all the chicks (nine I think), but later released them.

1880 June 29 (date written), Lieutenant Fairbrother, “The Game Birds of India. (Reprint from the ‘Asian.’) Addenda et Corrigenda. No. 2.”, in Allan [Octavian] Hume, editor, Stray Feathers: A Journal of Ornithology for India and Its Dependencies, volume IX, numbers 1–3, Calcutta, West Bengal: A. Acton, at the Calcutta Central Press, […], published August 1880, page 207

[D]uring the ten days we spent in that little valley the sole vestiges of life seen were 2 snowcock and 1 fly—the latter was found inside my tent and had probably come over from the base camp in the rolled-up tent.

1927 November, H. D. Minchinton, “With the Shaksgam Survey Party—1926”, in E[dward] L[isle] Strutt, editor, The Alpine Journal: A Record of Mountain Adventure and Scientific Observation, volume XXXIX, number CCXXXV, London; New York, N.Y.: Longmans, Green and Co. […], page 224

On a practical level, there is very little information on which to make judgments on the conservation status of many subspecies and populations of partridges, quails, francolins, snowcocks, guineafowl, and turkeys, […]

2000, “The Conservation of Partridges, Quails, Francolins, Snowcocks, Guineafowl, and Turkeys”, in Richard A. Fuller, John P. Carroll, Philip J. K. McGowan, editors, Partridges, Quails, Francolins, Snowcocks, Guineafowl, and Turkeys: Status Survey and Conservation Action Plan 2000–2004, Gland, Vaud, Switzerland; Cambridge, Cambridgeshire: International Union for Conservation of Nature; Reading, Berkshire: World Pheasant Association, page 7