Critically threatened capercaillie stages comeback at RSPB reserve

RSPB Abernethy recorded 30 lekking males in 2025, a 50 per cent increase since 2020.

The critically threatened capercaillie has staged a comeback at a RSPB reserve in Perthshire.

RSPB Abernethy recorded 30 lekking males in 2025 - those who embark on a mating ritual in a communal space - a 50% increase since 2020.

Once more widely spread across the UK, the capercaillie is now confined to native pinewood forests of Scotland where the total population is estimated at just 532 birds.

The successes at Abernethy come after the Scottish Government announced the Capercaillie Emergency Plan, led by the Cairngorms National Park Authority and NatureScot, with the aim of reversing long-term population declines in the species.

Two innovative trial methods have been deployed to push the recovery of the numbers of capericaillie, which is on the Red List of species at serious risk of extinction.

The first involves a remote-controlled mower which is used to remove dominant heather in difficult terrain to allow blaeberry to emerge - an important food source for capercaillie.

The second is the use of “virtual fence” cattle collars for large-scale management of their vital pinewood habitat.

Richard Mason, RSPB Abernethy conservation manager, said: “The increase in the number of lekking male capercaillie is thanks to the huge amount of work we are undertaking to improve habitat quality.

“The combination of cutting and extensive cattle grazing has dramatically improved conditions in the forest. We are seeing many chicks reaching full size and whilst the future of capercaillie remains in the balance, we are hopeful that these techniques can support their recovery in Scotland.”

Mr Mason added: “There is still a lot of work to be done for capercaillie, not just at RSPB Abernethy, but across all capercaillie sites in Scotland.

“We know that their recovery is only possible by working together and in collaboration with others.

“It is exciting to see that other land managers looking after capercaillie habitat are also undertaking innovative vegetation management with support from the Scottish Government’s Nature Restoration Fund managed by the Cairngorms National Park Authority.

“By enhancing these native pinewood forests, we can collectively work towards the recovery of this incredible bird.”

Across Scotland, numbers of capercaillie have been declining significantly for decades. Decline of habitat quality, natural egg and chick predation, collision with deer fences and human disturbance have left the species at serious risk of extinction.

The most recent national survey (2021-2022) estimated only 532 capercaillie remain.

This is the lowest recorded level since surveys began in 1992-1994 and a 52 per cent decline since the previous survey (2015-2016) when the population estimate was 1,114 birds.

Various projects have been on the go to help reverse the decline of capercaillie numbers.

One contributor to the birds’ decline is the eating of eggs and chicks by predators – including the pine marten, another protected species.

In an effort to protect capercaillie broods while not harming the predators themselves, researchers at the University of St Andrews used a “diversionary feeding” scheme to give predators an easy alternative food to capercaillie nests.

The study, which was carried out in and around the Cairngorms National Park over three years, saw researchers leave out deer carrion for predators at the “critical” eight-week period when capercaillie are nesting and hatching.

Researchers said the project led to a doubling of the number of broods in areas where alternative food was available, with 85 per cent of monitored capercaillie having chicks in these areas, compared with just 37 per cent in “unfed” sites.