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Western Capercaillie — printable fact sheet
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Western Capercaillie
Tetrao urogallus
The western capercaillie (Tetrao urogallus) is the largest grouse in the world, and the difference between the sexes is extreme: a cock can weigh twice as much as a hen, up to 6.5 kilograms, and is nearly black with a metallic green breast and a scarlet wattle over each eye. Coc…
Did you know?
- Despite their large size and apparent clumsiness, Western Capercaillies are capable of swift and powerful flight when threatened.
- The displaying cock goes briefly deaf during part of his own song, because the movement of his jaw closes off his ear, and hunters have crept up on him during exactly those few seconds for centuries. In winter he lives almost entirely on pine needles, fermenting them in hugely enlarged gut pouches. Males can weigh twice as much as females, one of the biggest size differences of any bird. Occasional "rogue" cocks lose all fear and attack cars, dogs and hikers.
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