noun
willow ptarmigan; red grouse
A bird species (Lagopus lagopus) found in northern regions. In Japanese, often refers specifically to the subspecies in Sakhalin and Hokkaido.
カラフトライチョウは冬になると白い羽に変わる。
The willow ptarmigan turns white in winter.
北海道でカラフトライチョウの生態調査が行われた。
An ecological survey of willow ptarmigans was conducted in Hokkaido.
雷鳥 (rock ptarmigan) is a different species native to Japan's alpine regions, while カラフトライチョウ is the willow ptarmigan found in Sakhalin and Hokkaido.
From 樺太 (Karafuto, 'Sakhalin') + 雷鳥 (raichō, 'ptarmigan'). The kanji spelling reflects this origin, but the word is now usually written in katakana.