Cantabrian capercaillie facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Tetrao urogallus cantabricus |
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Scientific classification  |
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| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Order: | Galliformes |
| Family: | Phasianidae |
| Genus: | Tetrao |
| Species: | |
| Subspecies: |
T. u. cantabricus
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| Trinomial name | |
| Tetrao urogallus cantabricus Castroviejo, 1967
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The Cantabrian capercaillie (Tetrao urogallus cantabricus) is a special type of western capercaillie. It belongs to the grouse family, which are large birds often found in forests. This bird is one of two capercaillie types living in Spain.
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What Does the Cantabrian Capercaillie Look Like?
The Cantabrian capercaillie is a very large grouse. It can be about 80 to 115 centimeters (31 to 45 inches) long. The female birds are much smaller than the males.
These birds have dark grey plumage (feathers). They have a fine, wavy black pattern around their head and neck. Their chest is shiny greenish-black. They also have a long, rounded tail and a beak that looks like ivory. A bright red crest sits above their eyes.
Where Do Cantabrian Capercaillies Live?
This special bird lives in the Cantabrian Mountains in northwest Spain. Long ago, they lived across a much larger area. This included northern Portugal and parts of Spain like Galicia, Asturias, León, and Cantabria.
Now, their home is much smaller, covering about 1,700 square kilometers (656 square miles). They are also very far from other capercaillie groups. The closest group in the Pyrenees mountains is more than 300 kilometers (186 miles) away.
What Kind of Habitat Do They Prefer?
Capercaillies can eat pine needles, so they often live in old pine forests. However, the Cantabrian capercaillie is different. It does not rely as much on pine forests, because there are not many in the Cantabrian mountains.
Instead, these birds live in forests where trees lose their leaves in autumn. They like mature beech forests. They also live in mixed forests of beech and oak trees. These forests are usually found at heights of 800 to 1,800 meters (2,600 to 5,900 feet).
The capercaillie also uses other small areas throughout the year. These include places with broom plants, open meadows, and heath plants. They eat beech buds, birch catkins, and holly leaves. They also enjoy eating bilberry plants.
Why Are Cantabrian Capercaillies Endangered?
The Cantabrian capercaillie is in trouble. Experts believe there are only about 627 birds left. Around 500 of these are adult birds.
Scientists count male birds that gather in special places called leks. Leks are traditional spots where males meet during mating season. They show off to attract females. Since 1981, the number of male leks has dropped by 60-70 percent. This means about 3 percent fewer birds each year.
Between 2000 and 2003, the Cantabrian capercaillie population was split into 13 small groups. Six of these groups had only one singing male. This shows how very small some of these groups are.
The area where these birds live has also shrunk a lot. In the early 1980s, they lived in an area of about 2,070 square kilometers (799 square miles). By 2003, this area had shrunk by 66 percent to only 693 square kilometers (268 square miles).
Because of these big drops in numbers, the Cantabrian capercaillie should be listed as "Endangered." The United States Fish and Wildlife Service listed it as endangered in 2011. Spain also lists it as "Endangered" in its own national list. However, the main international list, the IUCN Red List, does not yet classify it as endangered.
Main Threats to the Capercaillie
Several things are causing the capercaillie population to shrink.
Habitat Loss and Damage
The places where capercaillies live are being damaged or disappearing. This is called habitat degradation or habitat loss. Forests are also being broken up into smaller pieces, which is called habitat fragmentation.
Capercaillies need open forests with lots of bilberry shrubs. But when forests are managed for timber (wood) production, they change. The types of trees, how dense they are, and the plants growing under them all change. This makes the habitat less suitable for the capercaillie.
The area where this bird used to live has shrunk by more than half. Now, their home is broken into many small pieces. Most of the good habitat is in patches smaller than 10 hectares (25 acres). These small patches are often far apart.
Leks in smaller forest patches have been abandoned. The leks that are still used are now farther from the edges of the forest. This shows that breaking up the forest is a big problem for these birds. If the forest patches become too small, the leks are abandoned.
If the capercaillie's habitat keeps shrinking, the small groups of birds might become too isolated. They could become too small to survive in the long term.
Illegal Hunting
Hunting the Cantabrian capercaillie is against the law in Spain. However, illegal hunting still happens. Because these birds gather in leks, they are easy targets for poachers.
It is not known how much illegal hunting affects the birds. But with so few birds left, losing even a few adults could greatly harm the species.
Diseases and Predators
Scientists have looked into whether diseases or parasites are causing the decline. They studied bird droppings and found some common parasites. However, the number of these parasites was very low. This suggests that parasites are probably not the main reason for the capercaillie's decline.
Not Enough Protection
Even though the Cantabrian capercaillie is in danger, it is not listed as endangered by the main international group, the IUCN. It is also not listed under CITES, which controls trade in endangered animals.
Spain does classify it as "vulnerable," which gives it some special protection. This includes rules about forest activities, roads, and stopping poaching. But as mentioned, illegal hunting still happens.
The bird also has protection under the Bern Convention and the EU Habitats Directive and Birds Directive. These laws aim to protect endangered species and their homes. Spain has set up Special Protection Areas (SPAs) like Muniellos nature reserve for these birds.
Spain also has a "Forest Law" to protect forests. This law helps manage forests and prevent fires. Despite these efforts, illegal hunting and habitat changes still threaten the capercaillie.
Other Dangers
Human activities also affect the capercaillie. Leks are usually in the middle of large forest patches, away from people. But capercaillies have disappeared from leks closer to houses, hunting spots, and areas that burn often.
Forest fires are a big problem in Spain. Many fires are started by humans on purpose. Capercaillies avoid areas that burn often. This is because burned areas lose their ability to grow back the plants and habitat the birds need.
See also
In Spanish: Urogallo cantábrico para niños
