Home range sizes and roosting places in capercaillie (Tetrao urogallus L.) cocks living solitary in the West Carpathians

Abstract

From 1988-2005, home range sizes and roosting places in capercaillie cocks leaving solitary were studied in the mountains of central Slovakia (Vel'ká Fatra Mts., Malá Fatra Mts., Kremnické vrchy Mts., Starohorské vrchy Mts., and Nízke Tatry Mts., West Carpathians, 18°50'-19°10'E; 48°47'-49°19'N). Home range sizes in males living solitary were largest in summer (82 ha) and smallest during the display period (only 34 ha). Capercaillie males roosted during day prevailingly on the ground all year long (maximally in spring - 96%). Most roosting sites were located at the base of the tree trunks underneath the low branches (77%), then near wind-falls or stumps (9%) and rock boulders (5%). Capercaillie males roosted during night almost exclusively on trees. Only when conditions for snow-roosting were good (sufficient amount of powder snow) and temperature dropped below -15°C, capercaillies also roosted in snow burrows (13% during winter and 3% in autumn).