Wildlife Welfare

Wild Capercaillie Welfare 2026 Individual

Individual capercaillie welfare in 2026 is monitored through GPS tracking of key birds and nest monitoring at managed sites. Welfare data informs management decisions for specific individuals and habitats.

Key Facts

GPS-tagged capercaillie provide detailed movement and habitat use data
Individual welfare events including predation attempts and nest failures are recorded
Supplementary feeding at managed sites reduces winter welfare stress in key populations
Brood adoption programmes have successfully raised orphaned chicks
Individual bird welfare data informs habitat management priorities at specific sites

Welfare Considerations

Individual capercaillie welfare monitoring in 2026 enables targeted management responses to specific birds and situations. GPS tracking reveals when individuals are in difficulty, supplementary feeding supports winter welfare, and brood adoption saves orphaned chicks. This individual-level welfare approach reflects the small size of the population where every bird's welfare and survival matters for overall conservation outcomes.

What You Can Do

Support RSPB Scotland capercaillie monitoring and management programmes
Stay on marked paths in capercaillie areas to avoid individual bird welfare impacts
Advocate for continued government funding for critically endangered UK bird conservation