The Mediterranean oak forest: a new habitat for the Capercaillie?

Manuel A. González (1) , Pedro P. Olea (2) , Luis Robles (3) , Vicente Ena (1)

1 Department of Biodiversity and Environmental Management
2 School of Biology
3 Asociación Para la Conservación del Urogallo (ACU)

We described an extension of the known distribution range of the Cantabrian Capercaillie into an atypical area and habitat for the species. Nine Capercaillie leks and 14 cocks were registered in Mediterranean forests in an area of 1,500 km, of which 4,500 forest hectares were surveyed. At present, this population represents both the southern-most distribution for Capercaillie and the only one inhabiting Mediterranean forests, what suggests a wider adaptation of this (sub)species than previously thought. This population and its habitat need to be better studied, as well as to be considered in conservation planning for Cantabrian Capercaillie.

Mots clés: Conservation; Leks; Plasticity

Manuel A. González, Pedro P. Olea, Luis Robles, Vicente Ena. The Mediterranean oak forest: a new habitat for the Capercaillie?. Journal für Ornithologie = Journal of Ornithology, 2010, 151 (4), pp.901-906. ⟨10.1007/s10336-010-0528-6⟩. ⟨hal-00588626⟩