Rock ptarmigan Rock ptarmigan The rock ptarmigan (') is a medium-sized gamebird in the grouse family. It is known simply as the ptarmigan"' in the UK and in Canada, where it is the official bird for the territory of Nunavut, Canada, and the official game bird for the province of Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. In Japan, it is known as the "raichō" (雷鳥), which means "thunder bird". It is the official bird of Gifu, Nagano, and Toyama Prefectures and is a protected species nationwide. The rock ptarmigan is long (tail ) with a wingspan of . It is smaller than the willow
Climate of the Arctic of heat from the subsurface land and ocean (both of which gain heat in summer and release it in winter) to the surface and atmosphere. Arctic days lengthen rapidly in March and April, and the sun rises higher in the sky, both bringing more solar radiation to the Arctic than in winter. During these early months of Northern Hemisphere spring most of the Arctic is still experiencing winter conditions, but with the addition of sunlight. The continued low temperatures, and the persisting white snow cover, mean that this additional energy reaching the Arctic from the sun is slow to have