Capercaillie habitat? (1 Viewer)

Hi,

Sorry, I have a very stupid and obvious question about capercaillie habitat that I can't seem to find the answer to online (perhaps because I don't know enough to ask the right question).

So far all the information I've found says that capercaillies are woodland birds. However I also know that they need expanses of heather to lek, and the only acquaintance I have that has ever actually seen one says they saw it on the edge of moorland, near a wood. Do capercaillies also live on moorland/go onto moorland to lek? Or was that a freak occurance?

Thanks for your help and patience

They are technically woodland birds but in the case of habitat preference I believe woodland would ideally refer to Caledonian Pine Woods that are a mix of very mature trees, younger regeneration and patches of open ground (with heather and other moorland species) of various sizes.

You're too used to artificial plantations where the forest floor is virtually devoid of natural vegetation because the trees are planted so densely. This isn't the case with natural forests, which look more like this. Note the heather between the trees :t:

Thank you!