Western Capercaillie (Tetrao urogallus) [XC414066]
by Lars Edenius from V\u00f5ru vald, V\u00f5rumaa, Estonia (song, jumps)
Western Capercaillie (Tetrao urogallus) [XC708346]
by Baltasar Pinheiro from Gmina August\u00f3w (near August\u00f3w), augustowski, podlaskie, Poland (call)
Nest
A shallow depression on the ground, sometimes an old nest low in a tree.
Eggs (Guide)
5 8; buff with many brownish spots. Incubation: about 28 days; by female.
Subspecies
Forms superspecies with Black-billed Capercaillie (Tetrao urogalloides), with which very commonly hybridizes where ranges overlap in Siberia (up to 12% of males reported to be hybrids in one area).
Hybrids also common with Black Grouse (Lyrurus tetrix) and occasional with Willow Grouse (Lagopus lagopus). Many of proposed subspecies clearly intergrade, and sometimes reduced essentially to two, with nominate in northern and taczanowskii in south, but this option probably oversimplistic.
major C. L. Brehm, 1831 - Central Europe, from Germany and Alps to south-western Baltic states, western Byelorussia, eastern Carpathians and northern Macedonia.
rudolfi Dombrowski, 1912 - Carpathians in Ukraine and Romania, and Rhodope Mts in Bulgaria.
The Reader's Digest Book of British Birds 1980, 3rd Edition, Drive Publications Ltd ISBN 0 340 25308 8
Birds in Colour Campbell, B., 1960, Penguin Books Ltd
The Pocket Guide to Nest and Eggs Fitter, R.S.R., 1954, Collins
RSPB Handbook of British Birds Holden, P., Cleeves, T., 2002, A & C Black ISBN 0 7136 5713 8
Birds of Britain and Europe Sterry, P., et al., 2001, AA Publishing ISBN 0 7495 3068 5
The Popular Handbook of British Birds Hollom, P.A.D., 1973, H.F. & G. Witherby Ltd ISBN 0 85493 002 7