Only an estimated 542 of these iconic birds are now thought to be left in Scotland
The latest national survey has estimated there are now only 542 individual capercaillie in Scotland. This is a reduction of around 50 percent from the previous survey, putting the population at real risk of extinction.
Conservation scientists have identified that capercaille decline is being fuelled by a combination of factors which reduce their survival and breeding success. The survey results – coming on the back of NatureScot’s Scientific Advisory Committee (SAC) report which was published in February – add further urgency to the work to help these iconic birds in Scotland.
The country’s capercaillie population is surveyed every six years, and this – the sixth survey – was conducted over the winter of 2021/22. It was funded by RSPB Scotland, NatureScot, Cairngorms National Park Authority, Cairngorms Capercaillie Project, Forestry and Land Scotland, and Scottish Forestry, with RSPB Scotland undertaking the fieldwork and scientific analysis of the results.
Between November and March over 1500km of transects were walked through areas in Badenoch and Strathspey, Easter Ross, Morayshire, Nairnshire, Deeside and Perthshire recording sightings of the birds as well as signs of their presence such as feathers and droppings. The survey found that the Cairngorms National Park is estimated to have 85 percent of the total population.
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Posted On: 30/09/2022