Birds · Galliformes · Phasianidae

Western Capercaillie

Tetrao urogallus

Least Concern

The species is abundant and widely distributed; it faces no significant short-term risk. See full glossary

The western capercaillie is a galliform bird of the family Phasianidae. It is distributed across much of boreal Europe and in small mountain enclaves of temperate areas such as the Cantabrian Mountains, the Pyrenees, the Alps and the Jura.

Weight

2 kg – 3.8 kg

Diet

Herbivore

Feeds mainly on plants.

Activity

Diurnal

Active mainly during the day.

Social structure

Solitary

Lives and hunts alone, joining others only to breed.

Sighting difficulty

Easy

Temperate forestMountainHerbivore Diurnal Solitary Bird Temperate forest Mountain

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Fun facts

reproducciónMales perform a courtship ritual, the lek, at particular spots in the forest, with highly distinctive postures and calls to attract females.

Life cycle & biology

Skeleton type: Vertebrate - internal bony skeleton (bird)
Habitat & environment: Mature mountain forest, conifers in the core of its range and beech and other deciduous woodland in the Cantabrian Mountains, with a dense shrub understorey
Size at birth: Precocial, cryptically marked chicks, which leave the nest soon after hatching and follow the female
Sexual maturity: 3 years
Gestation / incubation: 26-29 days of incubation, by the female alone
Litter / clutch size: 5-8 eggs, with records of up to twelve

Sources consulted: https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tetrao_urogallus

Where to find it

See its range on the interactive map

Best time: April and May, during the display season at the leks, although in Spain access to those areas is restricted so as not to disturb the species