1.0Swiss Ornithological Institutehttps://www.vogelwarte.ch/en/rich600338<blockquote class="wp-embedded-content" data-secret="Z4XTPfe2lj"><a href="https://www.vogelwarte.ch/en/birds-of-switzerland/western-capercaillie/">Western Capercaillie</a></blockquote><iframe sandbox="allow-scripts" security="restricted" src="https://www.vogelwarte.ch/en/birds-of-switzerland/western-capercaillie/embed/#?secret=Z4XTPfe2lj" width="600" height="338" title="“Western Capercaillie” — Swiss Ornithological Institute" data-secret="Z4XTPfe2lj" frameborder="0" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" scrolling="no" class="wp-embedded-content"></iframe><script> /*! This file is auto-generated */ !function(d,l){"use strict";l.querySelector&&d.addEventListener&&"undefined"!=typeof URL&&(d.wp=d.wp||{},d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage||(d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage=function(e){var t=e.data;if((t||t.secret||t.message||t.value)&&!/[^a-zA-Z0-9]/.test(t.secret)){for(var s,r,n,a=l.querySelectorAll('iframe[data-secret="'+t.secret+'"]'),o=l.querySelectorAll('blockquote[data-secret="'+t.secret+'"]'),c=new RegExp("^https?:$","i"),i=0;i<o.length;i++)o[i].style.display="none";for(i=0;i<a.length;i++)s=a[i],e.source===s.contentWindow&&(s.removeAttribute("style"),"height"===t.message?(1e3<(r=parseInt(t.value,10))?r=1e3:~~r<200&&(r=200),s.height=r):"link"===t.message&&(r=new URL(s.getAttribute("src")),n=new URL(t.value),c.test(n.protocol))&&n.host===r.host&&l.activeElement===s&&(d.top.location.href=t.value))}},d.addEventListener("message",d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage,!1),l.addEventListener("DOMContentLoaded",function(){for(var e,t,s=l.querySelectorAll("iframe.wp-embedded-content"),r=0;r<s.length;r++)(t=(e=s[r]).getAttribute("data-secret"))||(t=Math.random().toString(36).substring(2,12),e.src+="#?secret="+t,e.setAttribute("data-secret",t)),e.contentWindow.postMessage({message:"ready",secret:t},"*")},!1)))}(window,document); //# sourceURL=https://www.vogelwarte.ch/wp-includes/js/wp-embed.min.js </script> https://www.vogelwarte.ch/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/1500_1.jpg16001200Western Capercaillie make very high demands on their habitat. For decades, there has been a significant decrease in their population throughout Central Europe and the impressive mating display is becoming an increasingly rare sight. The cocks strut around the courting ground (lek) with fanned tail, drooping wings, ruffled up beard feathers and erect neck. The mating call starts with a “rattling” that accelerates to a “cork-pop” note and finishes with a grinding sound. The hens, which are about a third smaller, choose the cock they wish to mate with.