Conservation status: Red
A huge woodland grouse, the large black males are unmistakable. They spend a lot of time feeding on the ground, but may also be found in trees, feeding on shoots. localised breeding species, found in Scottish native pinewood, a rare and vulnerable habitat, and in commercial conifer plantations. The UK capercaillie population has declined so rapidly that it is at very real risk of extinction (for the second time) and is a 'Red List' species.
Latin name
Tetrao urogallus
Family
Grouse (Tetraonidae)
Where to see them
Confined to native pinewoods. Occasionally seen from hides at RSPB Abernethy Forest, Loch Garten reserve.
When to see them
All year round.
What they eat
Berries, shoots and stems.
Population
| Europe | UK breeding* | UK wintering* | UK passage* | | - | - | 1,980 birds | - |
- In the UK
- Scotland