Black-billed capercaillie facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Black-billed capercaillie
Conservation status
Least Concern (IUCN 3.1)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Aves
Order:	Galliformes
Family:	Phasianidae
Genus:	Tetrao
Species:	T. urogalloides
Binomial name
Tetrao urogalloides Middendorff, 1853
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Synonyms
Tetrao parvirostris

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The black-billed capercaillie (Tetrao urogalloides) is a large bird, a type of grouse. It's also called the eastern capercaillie or Siberian capercaillie. This bird is a close relative of the more common western capercaillie.

Black-billed capercaillies do not migrate; they stay in one area. They live and have their young in the larch taiga forests. These forests are found in eastern Siberia, northern Mongolia, and parts of China. Sometimes, in the western parts of their home, they can even breed with western capercaillies. This creates a mix of the two types of birds.

The Siberian capercaillie can live in more open areas. This is because the larch forests they prefer are not as thick as other forest types. They usually stay away from very dense forests.

About the Black-billed Capercaillie

A female eastern capercaillie.

Male black-billed capercaillies are quite large. They are about 89 to 97 centimeters (35 to 38 inches) long. They weigh between 3.4 and 4.6 kilograms (7.5 to 10 pounds). Females are a bit smaller, measuring around 69 to 75 centimeters (27 to 30 inches). They weigh about 1.7 to 2.2 kilograms (3.7 to 4.8 pounds). Their wings can spread out to about 75 to 115 centimeters (30 to 45 inches).

This bird is a bit smaller and slimmer than its western cousin. It also has a longer neck. One key difference is its beak, which is black, giving it its name. The western capercaillie has a horn-colored beak. The black-billed capercaillie also has a longer, spoon-shaped tail.

Male birds have a shiny bluish-black head and neck. Their chest is a metallic turquoise color. They have clear white spots on their wing and tail feathers. These spots give them the nickname 'spotted capercaillie'. Female birds look similar to western capercaillie females. However, their feathers are more gray overall. They have more scaled patterns on their undersides. Unlike the western female, they don't have a solid reddish-brown chest. They also have bigger white spots on their wings and tail.

Capercaillie Behavior

In the spring, male capercaillies put on a show to attract females. This display happens from early morning until late morning. The males fan out their tails and puff up their chest feathers. They lower their wings and point their heads upward with an open beak. They do this to defend their space from other males. They also want to win the right to mate with females.

Males usually have territories about 30 by 30 meters (98 by 98 feet) in size. This is similar to the areas black grouse use. When a male is displaying, a group of female birds might squat low. They will drop their wings to show they are ready to breed.

Their call sounds like castanets, which are musical instruments. It can be heard up to 1.5 kilometers (0.9 miles) away. This is much louder than the western capercaillie's call. The call is a series of loud clicks that get faster and faster.

To attract females, males also perform "flutter flights." They jump off the ground, sometimes more than 2 meters (6.5 feet) high. They can fly 8 to 10 meters (26 to 33 feet) far. They beat their wings very fast when taking off and landing. This creates a loud, thundering sound. This sound echoes through the thick conifer trees.

Taxonomy

The black-billed capercaillie has two recognized types, called subspecies:

• T. u. kamtschaticus (Kittlitz, 1858) - found in the Kamchatka Peninsula
• T. u. urogalloides (nominate) (Middendorff, 1853) - found in northeastern Asia