Western Capercaillie: Nest & eggs

The Capercaillie nests on the ground and builds no real nest, but lays its eggs in a simple scrape.

• Nest site: a shallow scrape on the ground, often next to a tree trunk or brushwood in old coniferous forest.
• Lone hen: after the lek the hen does everything herself and incubates 6–10 yellow-brown, spotted eggs for about 24–26 days.
• Nest-leavers: the chicks leave the scrape early, follow the hen and during the first weeks depend on protein-rich insects.

The simple nest site is well camouflaged, which is essential since the hen incubates unprotected on the ground.

More about the Western Capercaillie

• Song & calls
• Breeding
• Diet
• In winter