Pheasants and grouse · Gamebirds
Western Capercaillie
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Tetrao urogallus
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How to recognize it
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110 cm, larger than a duck
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Dark body, male with metallic green breast
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White spot on the wing bend
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Female rufous-brown with dark barring
About the species
The western capercaillie is a large, forest-dwelling grouse that spends much of its time on the ground. The cock is especially striking in its sheer scale and heavy, deliberate way of moving, while the hen is much smaller and more discreet.
In spring, males gather at display grounds and begin calling at dawn with a peculiar mix of clicks and hissing sounds. They become so absorbed that they lose much of their usual caution, and fights between males can be fierce.
It lives in dense conifer and mixed forests, and also favors mossy bogs rich in berries. In summer it feeds on shoots, leaves, berries, seeds, and insects, then switches mostly to conifer needles and buds in winter; it is generally sedentary, though it may make seasonal movements.
Where to find
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In old conifer stands with a mossy floor — along quiet paths under spruce and pine, where a booming dawn display comes from the canopy.
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By wet woodland bogs and reed-fringed pond edges — on blueberry and bilberry patches, feeding on the ground in short, heavy steps.
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At the edge of large park forests and on dry, open slopes — males step out onto a clearing and keep displaying on the ground.
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In winter, look in dense spruce thickets — the clue is fresh snow tracks under the trees and feeding on needles in the branches.
You might also see
Sources
- eBird — Tetrao urogallus Sightings map and full description on eBird
- Wikipedia — Western capercaillie Encyclopedia article