In the Cairngorms region, where there are thousands of resident and visiting dogs, Carolyn Robertson leads an effort to raise awareness about the impact of dogs on the endangered capercaillie. An information campaign with local dog walkers has been successful, with capercaillies now lekking for longer. Robertson hopes that residents will influence visitors to act responsibly. While Scotland's right to roam allows people to enjoy the land, studies show that capercaillies avoid areas near tourism, as human activity causes stress. Striking a balance between human presence and capercaillie survival is challenging, but some groups, like mountain bikers, have been receptive to measures that help protect the birds.
One of the challenges facing capercaillie conservation is the desire of nature enthusiasts to see or photograph the birds, particularly during their lekking season. Leks, where males gather to display and compete for females, can be easily disrupted by photographers, potentially causing long-term harm to the birds. It is illegal in Scotland to disturb capercaillies during breeding without a special licence from NatureScot. The "Lek it be" campaign, part of the Cairngorms Capercaillie Project, urges people to respect the birds' space, and it has seen positive support from the birding community. However, despite efforts, the capercaillie population in Scotland continues to decline, with only about 532 birds remaining as of 2021-2022, a significant drop from previous years. The species' history includes a near extinction in the 1700s, followed by a successful reintroduction in the 1800s, but numbers have continued to fall despite conservation efforts
Capercaillie populations have sharply declined in recent decades, with experts like Neil Metcalfe highlighting the urgent need for conservation efforts to prevent extinction. A major cause of the decline has been the widespread construction of deer fences, which have led to high mortality rates among young birds. Efforts to remove or mark these fences have been ongoing. Additionally, capercaillies need vast spaces, and the fragmentation of their habitat, with limited remaining Caledonian pine forests, makes survival difficult. The Cairngorms National Park is working on ecosystem restoration, including expanding Scots pine forests and managing deer populations to promote growth. While forest expansion will benefit multiple species and the environment, it will take decades to restore suitable habitats for capercaillies, necessitating immediate conservation measures for their survival.
Jack Bamber's research on diversionary feeding involves placing decoy deer meat in areas where capercaillie nests are at risk from predators, including protected species like badgers and pine martens. In his study, he set up artificial nests with chicken eggs across 60 sites, half of which had central feeding stations stocked with deer meat. The results showed that in areas with the feeding stations, there was an 83% reduction in predation of the nests. This non-lethal approach to controlling predators proved effective, with camera traps revealing that pine martens significantly reduced their predation when distracted by the meat.
Bamber's ongoing study, which tracks capercaillie chick sightings via camera traps, shows positive early results for diversionary feeding. While it's still unclear if this method will lead to long-term population recovery, Bamber believes it can improve the birds' chances by reducing predation and allowing time for habitat improvement. Metcalfe sees potential but stresses careful implementation to avoid increasing predator numbers. More land managers are adopting the approach, with some reports of females having more chicks late in the season. However, its long-term effectiveness remains uncertain.
