Western Capercaillie

Tetrao urogallus

Genus · Capercaillies Family · Pheasants, Grouse, and Allies
Observation tips Difficulty: VERY HARD
Best time
🌅 Early morning
Activity
☀️ Diurnal
Best months
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
Observation habitat
Berry bushesForest clearingsIsolated treesLeks

Extremely difficult to see. Best looked for at dawn near lek sites. Keep a respectful distance from this sensitive species.

Western Capercaillie

♂ Male · ♀ Female

Stats
Wingspan87–125 cm
Weight1700–6000 g
Length60–95 cm
Lifespan wild5–12 yrs
Size
XS
S
M
L
XL
Nesting
Nest typeScrape
Clutch size5–12 eggs
Incubation24–28 days
Breeding months
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
Regional Status (Europe)
LC
Least Concern (Europe)
IUCN Red List
MigrationResident
Social BehaviourSolitary

Diet: Omnivore

🐜Ants
🫐Berries
🌲Conifer needles
🪨Gastroliths
🦗Insects
🍃Plants

Habitat

🌲 Forest coniferous🌲🌳 Forest mixed🌾 Marsh
✦ Fun Fact

In winter, Western Capercaillie rely almost entirely on pine needles, and their digestive system adapts to process this unusually tough diet.

About

The largest member of the grouse family. It is a legendary bird of old-growth coniferous forests. It specializes in mature pine forests with a blueberry understory. It is becoming increasingly rare due to habitat loss. It is a high-priority species for conservation across Europe.

Behaviour

The Capercaillie is famous for its spring dawn 'lek' display. The male fans his tail and produces clicks and pops. During the song's peak, the male becomes much less responsive to sounds and movement. Males are aggressive during the lek and may attack humans who enter their territory.

Sexual Dimorphism

♂ Male

Huge and turkey-sized with dark slate-grey plumage. He has a metallic green breast and a bright red 'eyebrow' comb.

♀ Female

Much smaller and camouflaged in brown and black bars. She has a distinctive rusty-orange patch on her breast.

Similar species

Black Grouse
🐦
Black Grouse
Lyrurus tetrix
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