The dawn silence of the Caledonian pine forests is once again being broken by the strange, popping song of the capercaillie. After decades of heartbreaking decline, conservationists at RSPB Abernethy have reported a significant breakthrough in the fight to save Britain’s most endangered bird.
New figures released today show the number of male capercaillie at the reserve has risen to 30. This marks a 50 percent increase from just 20 males recorded in 2020. While the numbers may seem small, experts describe this as a vital lifeline for a species that has been teetering on the brink of a second national extinction. The recovery is credited to a bold experiment combining high-tech cattle grazing and remote-controlled landscaping.
A glimmer of hope in the pines
For the first time in years, the spring “lek” at Abernethy is bustling with activity. The term lek comes from the Old Norse word for play. It describes the ancient ritual where male birds gather to perform for females. These turkey-sized birds fan their tails and perform spectacular flutter jumps. They make odd clicking sounds to woo the smaller, camouflaged females.
This revival at Abernethy stands in stark contrast to the wider national picture. The total wild population in Scotland has plummeted to just 532 birds. This is the lowest level ever recorded since surveys began more than 30 years ago. To put this in perspective, more than 20,000 of these birds roamed Scotland in the 1970s.
Richard Mason is the conservation manager at RSPB Abernethy. He believes the local success is proof that human intervention can still turn the tide.
“The increase in the number of lekking male capercaillie is thanks to the huge amount of work we are undertaking to improve habitat quality,” Mason said. “We are seeing many chicks reaching full size. Whilst the future of capercaillie remains in the balance, we are hopeful that these techniques can support their recovery in Scotland.”
High tech solutions for an old problem
The recovery strategy at Abernethy is far from traditional. Conservationists have deployed a mix of heavy machinery and digital technology to reshape the forest floor. The goal is to create the perfect nursery for young chicks.
One key innovation is the use of virtual fence collars on cattle. In the past, physical fences were a deadly hazard for capercaillie. The heavy birds are poor fliers and frequently die after colliding with wire barriers. The new system eliminates this risk entirely.
Cattle wear GPS collars that play a melody when they approach a virtual boundary. If they continue, they receive a harmless pulse. This allows rangers to guide cattle into specific areas of the forest that need grazing. The cattle churn up the ground and break up thick vegetation. This mimics the natural disturbance that wild herbivores would have provided centuries ago.
Alongside the cattle, teams are using remote-controlled mowers. These machines can access difficult, uneven terrain that standard tractors cannot reach. They cut back dominant heather that often chokes the forest floor.
The blaeberry connection
The science behind this recovery relies on a small but crucial plant called the blaeberry. This hardy shrub is the engine of the pine forest ecosystem. It is the primary food source for the capercaillie.
When heather becomes too thick and old, it blocks out the light and kills off the blaeberry. By using cattle and mowers to strip back the rank heather, conservationists allow fresh blaeberry to thrive.
This restoration has a massive knock-on effect. Blaeberry plants host specific moth caterpillars. These caterpillars are the essential protein source for capercaillie chicks in their first few weeks of life. Without this insect buffet, the chicks starve or grow too slowly to survive the wet Scottish summers.
The mowers also create small, bare patches of earth. These open spots are vital for survival. Wet feathers can be fatal for young chicks. After a rain shower, the chicks use these bare patches to dry off and warm up quickly.
Fighting against the odds
Despite the success at Abernethy, the “horse of the woods” still faces a mountain of threats. The biggest enemy is the changing climate. Scotland is seeing wetter springs and summers. These damp conditions can chill chicks to death before they develop waterproof feathers.
Predation is another major issue. Crows and foxes raid nests for eggs. Conservationists also fear that low genetic diversity is making the remaining birds weaker and less fertile.
Human disturbance adds another layer of pressure. The birds are incredibly shy. When they are disturbed by hikers or birdwatchers, they panic and flee. This burns valuable energy they need to survive the winter or breed. There are even concerns that social media attention is drawing too many photographers to sensitive sites.
RSPB Abernethy is not the only site showing promise. Forests in Strathspey also recorded an increase in male numbers in 2023. This suggests that the new management techniques could work elsewhere if rolled out on a large scale.
“There is still a lot of work to be done for capercaillie, not just at RSPB Abernethy, but across all capercaillie sites in Scotland,” Mason added. “By enhancing these native pinewood forests, we can collectively work towards the recovery of this incredible bird.”
The fight is far from over. But for now, the sound of popping and clicking in the Highland mist is a little louder than it was yesterday.
