Range

Europe and Asia is the native home of the western capercaillie. Here they can be found in the following countries - Albania, Andorra, Austria, Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, China, Croatia, Czechia, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Kazakhstan, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Mongolia, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Norway, Poland, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the Ukraine.

The species is considered extinct in Ireland. They had gone extinct in the United Kingdom but have since been reintroduced here.

Habitat

These animals make their home in forest and woodlands. They tend to favor the shadiest areas with dense undergrowth. Other populations can be found in taiga and montane areas.

Reproduction

The breeding season is highly variable by location. It tends to occur between April and May. Males may mate with multiple females during the breeding season.

Males gather together in congregations known as a lek. These groups will display for the females. During this display they tilt their bill towards the sky, puff out their neck feathers and strut around. This is accompanied by calls such as a gurgling or a cork-popping sound.

In to her nest the female will deposit between 5 and 11 eggs. Her nest is a shallow scrape in the ground within an area of thick cover. The eggs are incubated for between 24 and 26 days.

After hatching the chicks will follow the female around and can already feed. By two to three weeks old they can complete short flights and by two to three months old they are fledged.

Females are sexually mature by 1 year old with males delaying this to between 2 and 3 years old.

Behavior

Female and yearling capercaillies tend to move in small flocks while adult males are almost entirely solitary.

Predators and Threats

Natural predators of the western capercaillie include birds of prey such as raptors and carrion crows and the red fox. Pine martens will feed on their eggs.

The main threat to the survival of the western capercaillie is the destruction or disturbance of its habitat. Collisions with powerlines and fences along with pollution present a further threat to their survival. This species is also hunted by humans.

An emerging threat is deer fencing which is a major issue for low-flying birds such as the capercaillie. Deer themselves also prove a threat as they compete with the western capercaillie for food.

Quick facts

The western capercaillie is the largest member of the grouse family.

Their common names come from the Gaelic capul coille which translates in to English as horse of the woods.

In Finnish folk myths it was said that is a capercaillie appeared in your yard it was predicting death.