© 1996 by Institute of Chartered Foresters
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Capercaillie habitat, diet and management in a Sitka spruce plantation in central Scotland
Institute of Terrestrial Ecology, Banchory Research Station Hill of Brathens, Banchory, Kincardineshire AB31 4BY, Scotland
The ancestral habitat of capercaillie in most of its range is Scots pine forest with an understorey of blaeberry. Keillour forest in Perthshire is dominated by Sitka spruce, has little blaeberry, yet had a high density of capercaillie. Food and habitat use by capercaillie were studied there from 1991 to 1994. Seven cocks and two hens were caught, and marked with small radio transmitters. The habitats they occupied and food remains in their droppings provided information on home range, habitat utilization and diet through the year. Sitka spruce was the main food in autumn, winter and spring but was equalled by the fruiting heads of sedge in summer. Larch was the second most abundant item in spring and autumn diets. Sedge was plentiful on the wet restocks associated with the gleyed soils at Keillour and may provide a partial substitute for blaeberry in summer. Capercaillie showed a clear preference for the oldest blocks of trees, especially in winter. Sitka spruce, Norway spruce and Scots pine were used roughly in proportion to their availability in the birds' home range, but larch stands were used more than expected from availability. In summer, all birds used restocks to some extent. Management recommendations to encourage capercaillie in commercial plantations largely comprising exotics are that mature stands over 45 years and well-vegetated restocks should each occupy at least 20 per cent of the forest, larch and blocks of mixed conifers each at least 15 per cent of the ground. Blaeberry should be encouraged and, if possible, patches of windthrow involving living trees with the main root intact should be retained.
Received 19 January 1996.
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