The capercaillie, Scotland's largest native bird, faces critical welfare and conservation challenges from habitat loss, predation, and disturbance in its remaining Caledonian pinewood habitat.
Capercaillie welfare conservation requires addressing multiple overlapping threats simultaneously. Recreational disturbance during winter forces birds to flush repeatedly, depleting critical energy reserves when food is limited and temperatures are low. This energy depletion can be fatal, making disturbance avoidance during winter months a direct welfare intervention. Deer fence collisions cause traumatic injury and death and can be mitigated by marking fences and removing unnecessary fencing. Habitat management to maintain and expand Caledonian pinewood provides the structural diversity capercaillie need for feeding, display, and thermal cover.