The capercaillie is a bird from the grouse family that lives in Pyrenean and lower-lying Pyrenean areas. It is currently catalogued as a near-threatened species.

The capercaillie is mainly a high forest and land bird that prefers to walk, even though it is a good and powerful flyer, an unusual feat for a bird that can weigh between 3 and 3.5 kg.

The three capercaillies at Caixa Catalunya’s Caixa Catalunya's Les Planes de Son came from a zoological centre in Catalonia, one of the reason why they are still adjusting to the environment here. We have one male and two female capercaillies as the male is polygamous.

The males are very different from the females in appearance. Two of the characteristic marks of the males are the fleshy red parts above their eyes, more obvious during mating season, and the white feathers at shoulder height. The female has a very densely-patterned plumage and is much smaller than the male. Both sexes are very shy and suspicious, and are agile and silent when running through the forest.

The capercaillie is sedentary and localised in the subalpine coniferous forests of some regions in northern Catalonia. They are frequently found in forests where mountain pines, red pines and firs grow with an undergrowth consisting of alpenrose, blueberries, box shrubs, bearberries and juniper as it feeds on leaf shoots and the fruits of these plants. As a herbivore, it mainly feeds on pine needles in winter.

Unfortunately, its habit overlaps with high mountain skiing and recreation areas. Consequently, noise and traffic from forest walking paths and ski pistes are their main enemies.

Visitors to Caixa Catalunya’s Caixa Catalunya's Les Planes de Son Nature and Sustainable Development Centre can see the habits of these three capercaillies and take part in our environmental education programmes.