Capercaillie
Of all the National Park’s birds from the iconic osprey to the diminutive goldcrest, none are as visually and vocally impressive as the capercaillie. The capercaille or ‘horse of the woods’ is the world’s biggest grouse.The male capercaille is a very large bird (86cm/34inches tall) with blackish grey feathers and a fan shaped tail. He has a curved whitish yellow beak with a ‘beard’ of rigid feathers underneath.
The female capercaillie is smaller (about 62cm/24inches). She has both reddish brown and grey striped with black feathers, which provide great camouflage when she is sitting on her nest. The nest is usually a hollow on the ground at the base of a pine tree.
The capercaillies’ natural habitat is native pinewood with space between the trees and lots of plants on the floor. In spring and summer they eat blaeberryand other forest plants and the insects found among them. In winter when there is little else available capercaillie eat Scots pine needles and cones and parts of other conifer trees.
In recent years the spread of commercial forest plantations has meant the loss of capercaillie has become widespread. Foresters were encouraged to reduce the numbers of these birds to prevent damage to the young trees that capercaillie feed on. This hazard coincided with another - deer fences put up to protect the forests. These are hard to see in subdued woodland light, so birds were often killed flying into them.
In recent years the spread of commercial forest plantations has meant the loss of capercaillie has become widespread. Foresters were encouraged to reduce the numbers of these birds to prevent damage to the young trees that capercaillie feed on. This hazard coincided with another - deer fences put up to protect the forests. These are hard to see in subdued woodland light, so birds were often killed flying into them.
Perhaps not surprisingly, over-shooting and collisions with deer fences combined with loss of suitable woodlands and increased predation have caused capercaillie to decline from a relatively common bird to one that is now exceptionally scarce. In just over 30 years, their numbers in Scotland have plummeted from around 20,000 to as few as 2,000 with just 30 capercaillie left in the National Park. As a result, capercaillie conservation has become a top priority.
A new threat however, has recently been confirmed – human disturbance. Research has shown capercaillie are avoiding woodland areas adjacent to tracks and paths that visitors use. Disturbance can play havoc with the capercaillies’ well-being, forcing them to leave nests and young vulnerable to predators.
The only area of the Park where capercaillie still breed is on Loch Lomond’s islands. These small and fragile habitats contain all 30 birds. Therefore everything possible needs to be done to protect this vulnerable population. Give this most impressive of Scottish birds a real chance of survival by taking care not to disturb them or damage their precious woodland home.