THE population of one of Scotland’s most endangered birds has fallen again, despite millions of pounds of public money being spent in recent years to try to boost numbers.
New figures show the number of capercaillie has declined to just 1,114 but experts are confident they will not die out for a second time.
The bird died out in Scotland in the 1700s but was reintroduced from Sweden and reached levels of between 20,000 and 50,000 by the mid-1900s.
But numbers have declined again since 1970 due to predators, low levels of breeding, human disturbance and poor weather.
There were around 20,000 across Scotland in 1970, but their steep decline has seen the largest member of the grouse family included on the “red-list” of species of highest conservation concern.
A survey carried out by RSPB Scotland and Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) recorded 1,114 of the birds last winter, a drop from 1,285 during the last survey six years earlier.
However, despite the low numbers, experts are confident conservation measures will sustain the population.
Nick Wilkinson, a conservation scientist for RSPB Scotland, said: “The considerable conservation effort that has been directed at capercaillie for over two decades now has helped to prevent further population decline, and indeed has made a second extinction of this species from Scotland less likely.
“The country’s capercaillie population has fluctuated between 1,000 and 2,000 birds since the first national survey in the 1990s but it’s now very much at the low end of this scale.
“Capercaillie are restricted to only a few areas of the country and most are found in Strathspey, which highlights the importance of innovative conservation work in this area, in partnership with others, for their population to recover.”
The birds are mainly found in pine woodlands across the Highlands, Moray, Aberdeenshire and Perthshire, but Strathspey holds about 83 per cent of the remaining population.
Despite their size capercaillie are fairly elusive, often sitting quietly in pine trees or on the forest floor.
In spring they can be seen gathering at communal “leks” – the males’ courtship display in the hope of attracting a mate.
The Cairngorms Capercaillie Project is one conservation drive helping the bird by creating bigger and better managed forests to support their survival.
SNH policy officer Sue Haysom said: “Vital conservation work such as establishing rich feeding areas for adults and chicks, promoting woodland creation in the right locations to increase habitat and carrying out targeted predator control around breeding sites has already brought benefits.
“Now we need to build on this with energy and innovative approaches developed by experts and local communities to ensure that future generations can experience this magnificent bird.”
Between November and March, RSPB surveyors walked nearly 1,000 miles of transects looking for and recording the birds. The results are the second lowest on record and show the population is now just half the size it was in 1993.
Experts have attributed the decline to low levels of breeding success – a wet June when the chicks hatch is bad for the birds– and an increase in deaths from collisions with deer fences. There is also growing evidence that human disturbance is causing capercaillie to avoid using large areas of otherwise suitable woodland.
The species will now be targeted by a new five-year initiative.
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