Capercaillie Life Project - Urgent Scottish Management for Scottish Capercaillie

The Bird

The World and Europe

Text and maps are extracted from:
Storch, I. (2000): Grouse Status Survey and Conservation Action Plan 2000 - 2004.

Distribution

As the map shows, Capercaillie are distributed throughout the northern hemisphere, with contiguous distribution in the boreal forest from Scandinavia to eastern Siberia. The south-western part of the range in western and central Europe is fragmented primarily due to the patchy distribution of montane conifer forest and secondarily due to habitat loss.

The Capercaillie still occupies most of its original range, although serious declines in western and central Europe have resulted in local extinctions. In central Europe many populations have disappeared, most of the remaining populations in this area are thought to be small and probably isolated. In Fennoscandia and western Russia, Capercaillie numbers dropped following the beginning of intensive clear cutting. In general, the species is listed as threatened in western, central and south-eastern Europe, but still occurs in considerable numbers throughout most of its boreal range from Scandinavia to eastern Siberia. However in some parts of the boreal forest, e.g. Finland, the species regionally is considered vulnerable. (See Klaus et al. 1989, Office national de le Chasse 1994 a,b).

View across extensive Finnish forests

Throughout its range, Capercaillie is adapted to boreal climax forests. Its primary habitat is a landscape dominated by old-growth forest intermixed with bogs and patches of younger successional stages following natural disturbance such as wind blow, snow break and fire. Capercaillie habitats are characterised by coniferous trees, open structure with moderate canopy cover and rich ground vegetation dominated by bilberry Vaccinium myrtillus and other ericaceous shrubs. The birds feed almost exclusively on conifer needles in winter but on leaves, buds, flowers, fruits of various herbs and shrubs in summer (Jacob 1987). The Cantabrian subspecies is known to feed on holly in winter, but apparently some populations winter on beech buds and herbs (J. Ramon Obeso pers. comm).

Young Capercaillie chicks rely on invertebrates, especially caterpillars on Vaccinium. In the temperate zone, e.g. in central Europe, Capercaillie habitats are restricted to montane regions. Capercaillie depend on particular habitat structures, but are rather flexible with regard to conifer species and forest age. In most areas, old, natural or semi-natural forests are the Capercaillie's stronghold. However, if the structure of the vegetation is suitable, Capercaillie may use young and commercial forests as well. As in Scotland, the Capercaillie is often referred to as an indicator species of healthy old forest communities in boreal ecosystems (See Klaus et al. 1989, Potapov and Flint 1989, Rolstad 1989, Gjerde 1991, Menoni 1991, Borchtchevski 1993, Storch 1995, 1997a, Graf 1998, Fischer 1999).

A lek site in Norway

Across its whole range Capercaillie have historically been of hunting and cultural importance. It has a long history as a game bird (Klaus et al. 1989, Potapov and Flint 1989) since the middle ages and even before. In central Europe, the Capercaillie has received particular attention as a highly valued hunting trophy. At times, e.g. since the 18th century, the Capercaillie hunt was reserved for aristocrats. In its central European strongholds, the Capercaillie has been a traditional element of local folklore until the present day. Despite its great cultural importance, however, Capercaillie hunting generally has played a minor economic role in central Europe.

A Swedish keeper in traditional uniform

Throughout central Europe, Capercaillie have been hunted mostly in spring at the lek, and hunters prefer to shoot supposedly high-ranking cocks. An often discussed problem related to the spring hunt is that it may disturb mating and result in reduced reproductive success. The autumn hunt is often considered to be less critical in terms of population dynamics, because leks are not disturbed and because hunting losses are assumed to be at least partially compensated by reduced winter mortality among the survivors. Thorough tests of this latter assumption however are still lacking.

Whereas trophy hunting and taxidermy are the major motivation for hunting Capercaillie in western and central Europe, the species is hunted for food and sport in northern Europe and mostly for food in eastern Europe and Russia. In recent times, however, trophy hunting by westerners is gaining economic importance in eastern Europe. In the boreal forest, grouse hunting has long played a major economic role and is still culturally important. In Russia, the hunting bag of Capercaillie during the early 1990's was estimated at 700,000 birds annually (Grabuzov 1995, Flint 1995).

Since the 1970's Capercaillie hunting has been restricted or banned in all western and central European countries. However, hunting bans did not reverse the negative population trends. In most areas, hunting has not been a primary cause of population declines (Klaus et al. 1989). There are several countries where Capercaillie are still hunted although the species is listed as endangered in the nation al Red Lists, e.g. Austria & Bulgaria. There is growing opposition to this practice from conservationists and the anti-hunting movement. Moderate, strictly controlled hunting, however, may also have a positive overall effect on Capercaillie conservation. Fore example, in parts of Austria, where hunting rights belong to small, private land owners, the chances to sell the right to shoot a Capercaillie cock to guest hunters every other year appears to be a significant incentive for active habitat preservation.

Capercaillie habitat at high altitude in the Pyrenees

A fuller version of this information, including details of references is available for download via a link to the GSG Publications page on the Grouse Specialist Group's web site.