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
Rock ptarmigan ptarmigan by about 10%. The male's "song" is a loud croaking. The rock ptarmigan is seasonally camouflaged; its feathers moult from white in winter to brown in spring or summer. The breeding male has greyish upper parts with white wings and under parts. In winter, its plumage becomes completely white except for the black tail. It can be distinguished from the winter willow ptarmigan by habitat—the rock ptarmigan prefers higher elevations and more barren habitat; it is also smaller with a more delicate bill. The rock ptarmigan is a sedentary species which breeds across arctic and subarctic Eurasia and North