by Dominick Murray

Created on: January 24, 2007

The Capercaillie (Tetrao urogallus), one of Scotland's most iconic birds, only six years ago was staring eyeball to eyeball with its second national extinction, and was declared to be Britain's fastest disappearing bird.

In 2000, a joint survey by the RSPB and Scottish National Heritage indicated that the Scottish population had slumped to a low of only 1,100 individuals. These birds, descending from a reintroduced Scandinavian stock, had formerly reached a population numbering 20,000. However, a combination of several key factors brought about the near decimation of the Caper in Scotland.

The effects of habitat loss and fragmentation, combined with poor breeding success placed tremendous pressure on the birds. The crushing impact of these effects was only exacerbated by an increased frequency of adult mortality, caused mainly by colliding with deer fences mid-flight. The majestic capercaillie was being rapidly brought to its knees.

To combat the decline of the capercaillie in Scotland, several government and non-governmental organisations combined their efforts and formed a Species Action Plan. This outlined how the capercaillie was going to avoid being wiped out in Scotland yet again.

Preventing a second extinction meant boosting the population, and drastically so. But how could this be realised? The capercaillie's battle for survival received a huge lift when the European LIFE project aimed at its conservation received 4.75 million pound grant. This grant ensured that vital work could be carried out for five years. With the support of local landowners and the Scottish government, the path to survival was laid down. All that remained was for the capercaillie to follow.

The first real battle was to cease the rapid decline of the species. Two world wars and ever-increasing development meant the capercaillies native Caledonian pine forests dwindled in size, leaving only 3% of what made up the original coverage at the end of the twentieth century. Deer fences often surrounded what remained of the capercaillie's disappearing habitat. In addition to surrounding the remaining habitat, new plantations were also fenced to keep the insatiable appetite of deer at bay. Being just the right height to catch the low flying capercaillie, these fences were responsible for a third of all recorded adult mortalities.

A programme of fence removal reduced the debilitating effect of the deer fences remarkably. If indeed deer fences remained, or were to be erected in the future, they

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