Western Capercaillie: In winter

The Capercaillie is a pronounced resident that spends its whole life within a limited area of forest, including winter.

• Food: during the long winter it lives almost entirely on pine needles, a very nutrient-poor diet.
• Habitat: it needs old, varied coniferous forest with scattered pine, bilberry shrub and moist areas all year round.
• Sensitivity: its dependence on old-growth forest makes the species sensitive to modern forestry, and it is red-listed as near threatened.

Because it is a resident, the Capercaillie can be seen all year round in old coniferous forest, but it is shy and hard to catch sight of.

More about the Western Capercaillie

• Song & calls
• Breeding
• Nest & eggs
• Diet