Bird of the Year 2018: Capercaillie (Tetrao urogallus)

[Felis silvestris]

The Capercaillie (Teatrao urogallus), in Estonian metsis, is the Estonian Bird of the year 2018 (Aasta lind 2018). More information about the bird of the year can be found on the homepage by the Estonian Orntihological Society (EOÜ): https://www.eoy.ee/metsis/

This new camera in the area of Võru in southern Estonia. It is placed in a wood, where we hopefully will be able to watch the male capercaillies doing their lekking.

Most activity we will likely get to see in the morning when it becomes light until 8 or 9 AM.

The camera has got the possibility to pan, tilt and zoom, so this is the reason why the view already changed a couple of times since it started. Maybe we will have somebody to operate the camera sometimes.

Camera links:

Direct stream: http://tv.eenet.ee/metsis.html
iPhone / iPad, Android, VLC: http://tv.eenet.ee/hls/metsis.m3u8

[Felis silvestris]

The camera is located in this area:




Urmas, who was involved in putting up the camera, sent 2 pictures from male capercaillies he was able to see

[Felis silvestris]

Western capercaillie (Tetrao urogallus)

The capercaillie is the largest member of the grouse family. The species shows extreme sexual dimorphism, with the male twice the size of the female. It is a non-migratory, big, largely sedentary forest grouse that inhabits old conifer and mixed forests across the Palearctic Eurasia. It is renowned for its mating display, also called "lek" (Swedish for "play").

In Estonia the capercaillie was a hunting bird until the 70ies of last century and still is shown in the coat of arms of Estonian hunting association. The numbers have decreased remarkably during the last century, probably because of the forest management, particularly the land improvement or land amelioration of wet forests around bogs.

Cocks typically range from 74 to 85 cm in length with wingspan of 90 to 125 cm and an average weight of 4.1 kg. The largest wild cocks can attain a length of 100 cm and weight of 6.7 kg. The largest known specimen, recorded in captivity, had a weight of 7.2 kg.
The body feathers are dark grey to dark brown, while the breast feathers are dark metallic green. The belly and undertail coverts vary from black to white depending on race.

The hen is much smaller, weighing about half as much as the cock. The capercaillie hen's body from beak to tail is approximately 54–64 cm long, the wingspan is 70 cm and weighs 1.5–2.5 kg, with an average of 1.8 kg. Feathers on the upper parts are brown with black and silver barring; on the underside they are more light and buffish yellow.

Both sexes have a white spot on the wing bow. They have feathered legs, especially in the cold season, for protection against cold. Their toe rows of small, elongated horn tacks provide a snowshoe effect that led to the German family name "Rauhfußhühner", literally translated as "rough feet chickens".

[Felis silvestris]

Urmas also sent me a paper on the status of capercaillies in the Baltic states. I need a bit more time to read it and will see what I can report here.
He also writes that the number of lekking males in Estonia has not decreased anymore, maybe related to the catastrophic fall of the wild boar population.

[Hagnat]

Birds observed on this Capercaillie cam in spring 2018

A total of 54 certain species.
Capercaille, Mistle thrush, Jay, Chaffinch, Great tit, Black woodpecker, Blackbird and Tree Pipit also seen.
The others are only heard, some only flying overhead but most of them probably breeding birds within hearing distance.

Barnacle goose - Branta leucopsis - Valgepõsk-lagle
Taiga Bean Goose - Anser fabalis - Rabahani
Greater White-fronted Goose - Anser albifrons - Suur-laukhani
Mute Swan - Cygnus olor - Kühmnokk-luik
Mallard - Anas platyrhynchos - Sinikael-part

Hazel Grouse - Tetrastes bonasia - Laanepüü
Western Capercaillie - Tetrao urogallus - Metsis

Grey Heron - Ardea cinerea - Hallhaigur

Western Osprey - Pandion haliaetus - Kalakotkas
Common Buzzard - Buteo buteo - Hiireviu

Common Moorhen - Gallinula chloropus - Tait

Common Crane - Grus grus - Sookurg

Eurasian Woodcock - Scolopax rusticola - Metskurvits
Common Snipe - Gallinago gallinago - Tikutaja
Green Sandpiper - Tringa ochropus - Metstilder

Common Wood Pigeon - Columba palumbus - Kaelustuvi

Common Cuckoo - Cuculus canorus - Kägu

Tawny Owl - Strix aluco - Kodukakk
Ural Owl - Strix uralensis - Händkakk
Eurasian Pygmy Owl - Glaucidium passerinum - Värbkakk

European nightjar - Caprimulgus europaeus - Öösorr

Great Spotted Woodpecker - Dendrocopos major - Suur-kirjurähn
Black Woodpecker - Dryocopus martius - Musträhn

Eurasian Golden Oriole - Oriolus oriolus - Peoleo

Eurasian Jay - Garrulus glandarius - Pasknäär
Hooded Crow - Corvus cornix - Hallvares
Northern Raven - Corvus corax - Ronk

Coal Tit - Periparus ater - Musttihane
European Crested Tit - Lophophanes cristatus - Tutt-tihane
Willow Tit - Poecile montanus - Põhjatihane
Eurasian Blue Tit - Cyanistes caeruleus - Sinitihane
Great Tit - Parus major - Rasvatihane

Eurasian Skylark - Alauda arvensis - Põldlõoke

Barn Swallow - Hirundo rustica - Suitsupääsuke

Willow Warbler - Phylloscopus trochilus - Salu-lehelind
Wood warbler - Phylloscopus sibilatrix - Mets-lehelind

Eurasian Nuthatch - Sitta europaea - Puukoristaja

Common Blackbird - Turdus merula - Musträstas
Fieldfare - Turdus pilaris - Hallrästas
Song Thrush - Turdus philomelos - Laulurästas
Mistle Thrush - Turdus viscivorus - Hoburästas

European Robin - Erithacus rubecula - Punarind
European Pied Flycatcher - Ficedula hypoleuca - Must-kärbsenäpp
Common Redstart - Phoenicurus phoenicurus - Lepalind

Tree Pipit - Anthus trivialis - Metskiur

Common Chaffinch - Fringilla coelebs - Metsvint
Brambling - Fringilla montifringilla - Põhjavint
Hawfinch - Coccothraustes coccothraustes - Suurnokk-vint
Eurasian Bullfinch - Pyrrhula pyrrhula - Leevike
Common Rosefinch - Carpodacus erythrinus - Karmiinleevike
Common Redpoll - Acanthis flammea - Urvalind
Red Crossbill - Loxia curvirostra - Kuuse-käbilind
Eurasian Siskin - Spinus spinus - Siisike

Yellowhammer - Emberiza citrinella - Talvike

[Fleur]

Thank you for this new cam, Urmas for the info and Felis for opening this topic

I see on Urmas his picture that I was to late in the morning to see the cock in color.
But I recorded him while there was zooming, great

[Fleur]

March 26
I have not heard so many sounds so far, maybe it's a quiet environment

[Lisbeth]

This is a scary camera to watch after dark. It looks like there's a dark figure staring right back at you.

Is this the same camera that was at the heron nests? I've never seen this bird in nature, thanks for the camera!

[Liz01]

March 27

good morning

7:45


7:47

[sova]

27th of March

Good Morning

[Fleur]

Good morning

so beautiful

8:40 in the background a second

[Liz01]

9:11 a male again 8:10 camea time


Fleur

[Fleur]

9:10 "special"sound

[guest]

GM!

[Hagnat]

The frame size is only 1280x720, so unless the operator zooms in, there is not much detail possible.
The high frequencies of the sound are limited but it is enough for most birds, probably even for Goldcrest, and certainly enough for Capercaillie.

[laranjeiras]

thank you for this interesting new cam. i hope i get to see some 'lekking' - i'll have to get the computer on really early

[Hagnat]

thank you for this interesting new cam. i hope i get to see some 'lekking' - i'll have to get the computer on really early

Yes, for the Estonians it is easy, but for me it is an hour earlier and for you two hours.

[Liz01]

Video by Urmas Lett Thank you!



Fleur and guest thank you for your the videos too

[laranjeiras]

from Urmas' video - 07.43:41

[Hagnat]

... I have not heard so many sounds so far, maybe it's a quiet environment

Coniferous forest is never very rich in birds but so far Nuthatch and Skylark are indicating some more variety in the surroundings.
I do hope that we will hear the weird sounds of the magnificent Capercaillie real good.