Saving the capercaillie: a vital commitment to biodiversity in Catalonia

In recent years, populations of capercaillies, a majestic large bird whose size and weight exceed those of a chicken or rooster, have suffered a sharp decline across Europe. In particular, in the region of Catalonia and, more specifically, in the Pyrenees mountain range. This species is in a critical situation, and has been classified as a critically endangered species due to the sharp decline in populations in the last two decades. In response to this critical situation, the Government has implemented a preservation strategy to protect such an iconic species.

There are two sub-species of capercaillies in Spain: the Cantabrian capercaillie, found on the Cantabrian mountain range, and the tetrao urogallus aquitanicus, found in the Pyrenees mountain range and in other ecosystems of the region. These sub-species are required for the preservation of genetic diversity in the region's capercaillies. Effective management of their habitat is essential to stop the substantial decline in their populations.

The preservation of capercaillies in Catalonia is a challenge that requires a thorough and careful approach to find out everything about its habitat. Locating the "cantaderos" (breeding spots) is a painstaking and often fruitless task. This requires walking across the forest for several kilometres, exploring the grass and leaves for fresh droppings on the ground. Guillem Más, Director of Paisatges Vius, explains that this requires much patience and dedication.

New technologies to locate the breeding spots

This year, a new technology that is proving to be incredibly valuable to the research team is being used. Technicians are now using stereo parabolic microphones and recording systems to listen to the characteristic sounds of capercaillies over long distances, right before dawn. This is crucial to find their breeding spots, when they start "singing", a few hours before dawn, in the silence of the night, right before other birds start to sing. This technology is essential to locate capercaillie populations and conduct population studies.

In-depth population studies can be conducted after a breeding spot is found, focusing on counting the number of males, one of the key indicators to assess the changes in capercaillie populations in Catalonia. This monitoring tasks were carried out under the supervision of the Fauna and Flora Service of the Department of Climate Action, Food and Rural Agenda, obtaining the relevant authorisations and taking all the necessary measures and precautions to prevent capercaillies from detecting human presence. In this regard, parabolic microphones are a huge innovation, since they allow individual capercaillies to be counted at a distance without disturbing them.

All of these actions are just some of the efforts being made within the framework of Endesa and Paisatges Vius' project for the preservation of capercaillies. Other activities include marking power lines in areas that are sensitive to the species, with the installation of retroreflectors every few metres to make them more visible and avoid collisions. In addition, barriers to restrict the access of vehicles were put up in critical spots, closing paths with large rocks in Cerdanya to reduce human and uncontrolled activity in the forests inhabited by capercaillies.

Raising public awareness is essential to ensure the success of these preservation efforts. Therefore, the project includes the dissemination and awareness-raising activities for citizens. This includes the translation of an informative leaflet on the capercaillie, which is available online and as hard copies at natural parks in the area, as well as the organisation of a travelling exhibition to raise the awareness on the need to protect this endangered species.

Threats facing the capercaillie

Capercaillie populations are facing varied and quite complex circumstances. Some of the main threats include:

1. Increase in recreational and sports activities in mountains: without a doubt, the larger numbers of people enjoying recreational and sports activities in mountains are disturbing capercaillies and their breeding.

2. Increase in medium-sized predators: the absence of large predators, such as wolves and lynxes, has led to an increase in the numbers of medium-sized predators, such as martens and foxes, which put capercaillies at risk.

3. Increase in the number of wild herbivores: the increase in deer and fallow deer populations, which feed from underbrushes and shrubs, has impoverished capercaillie habitats.

4. Poor forest management: poor forest management has had a negative impact on the quality of the capercaillie habitats.

5. Collisions against man-made infrastructures.

The capercaillie has been declared an endangered species in Catalonia due to this threat, which has led to a sharp decline in capercaillie populations in the last decade. The Regional Government implemented this measure after preparing a report that revealed a 31-34% drop in capercaillie populations. These large birds inhabit subalpine forests and face different threats, such as those related to human activity in their habitat, medium-sized predators and collisions against infrastructures. To provide a response against this, Paisatges Vius and Endesa are working together on the PeriFer project to improve habitats, reduce threats and raise public awareness on the importance of protecting this species.