Larger pugmark/footprint in the Austrian alps - Beginning of October (1 Viewer)

[mTown]

Dear Forum Members,

after several months I have an ID request again. While hiking in the Austrian Alps I came across a footprint of which I would like to hear your opinion. I have a suspicion, but do not say this yet. The 2-euro coin has a diameter of 2.5 centimeters. So the pugmark is slightly larger than 5 centimeters/0.98 inches (probably about 5.5 - 6.5 centimeters/2.16 - 2.55 inches).

Here the data to the photo:

• Location: Austrian Alps (Styria/Salzburg).
• Recording time: Beginning of October 2022
• Altitude: about 2,000 meters
• Landscape: Open landscape with rocks, grasses and a few bushes (see the two pictures in the attachment).

Thank you in andvance!

 

[DMW]

Cassowary?

Your options are pretty limited, and in that habitat more likely to be Rock Ptarmigan than Capercaillie (or Cassowary)?

 

[mTown]

Cassowary?

Your options are pretty limited, and in that habitat more likely to be Rock Ptarmigan than Capercaillie (or Cassowary)?

Right. The area fits more to Rock Ptarmigan, but the footprint is in my opinion a bit too big (according to literature about 5 cm) and fits more to a Black grouse (according to literature about 6 cm and 7 cm). 🤷‍♂️

 

[lou salomon]

really hard to tell between female Capercaillie and male Black Grouse, both of which have a lenght of apr. 6 cm including hind toe, that's the length I think it would have if seen entirely. You can't exclude Capercaillie from the habitat, there are scattered trees around and sometimes they also feed outside the tree line.

 

[Butty]

It's much better to give your own guess at the outset - then you get more-useful comments and save everybody time.