BY CALUM CAMPBELL

I photographed this magnificent cock capercaillie (below) a couple of years ago. I had mixed emotions: excitement and thrill but also sadness at their plight. Currently, the capercaillie population is so low it is hardly sustainable. Their numbers are alarmingly declining due to several reasons.

Capercaillie chicks need June to be dry. About three-quarters of their energy is used for rapid growth, but if June is cold and wet, they must use energy to keep warm and dry, leading to lower breeding success.

At the Abernethy Reserve, RSPB Scotland, which hosts capercaillie, stopped vermin control five years ago. They disagree with using dogs to drive foxes in capercaillie woods due to disturbance and avoid using terriers during cubbing time. RSPB Scotland does not support the catch and release of pine martens, arguing that more would move in from neighbouring areas. However, studies have proven that intensive predator control benefits woodland grouse, including capercaillie. Despite this, RSPB Scotland believes such efforts are rarely sustainable over large areas and long periods (though estates employing gamekeepers have been doing this for many years).

RSPB Scotland recorded an increase of 1 male capercaillie at Abernethy lekking sites last year (2023) and another increase of 1 male at Abernethy lek sites this year – nothing to get excited about. They have introduced a feeding regime for Pine Martens to try and save capercaillie eggs and chicks. That’s hardly nature is it?

RSPB Scotland’s vision for Abernethy is a forest with a sustainable capercaillie population coexisting with a more diverse range of predators, including pine martens, foxes, badgers, goshawks, and eagles. Although goshawks have been known to prey on woodland grouse in other European countries, RSPB Scotland claims there is little or no evidence of this in Scotland (common sense might suggest otherwise).

Currently, the capercaillie population is so low that it is not sustainable. Tough measures and decisions are needed, and in certain circumstances, some predators should be removed to allow the capercaillie population to recover. Deer control at Abernethy essentially involves shooting any deer seen. RSPB Scotland has introduced cattle and they cut heather to replicate lost herbivore species, which doesn’t make sense. A healthy deer population would create pathways through the woods for capercaillie chicks to access water easier with the benefit of finding insects in the deer dung. Deer also help control heather growth. Cattle, however, are confined to certain areas, whereas deer move more freely.

Estates have the keepers and knowledge for reintroduction, as they did originally. Red squirrels have been successfully reintroduced in England, which reinvigorates the resident population and removes grey squirrels. The same could happen with capercaillie.

RSPB Scotland has failed miserably, having received over £10 million in grants to save capercaillie. They should be made to return these funds, as they continue to watch the capercaillie decline while focusing on yet more climate change studies.

They have failed.