engleski

Habitat preferences by Western capercaillie (Tetrao urogallus L.) on the Lička Plješivica massif (Dinaric Alps)

The Western capercaillie is a large galliform bird whose populations are declining in Europe. By the middle of the 20th century it was present on six massifs of the Dinaric Alps in Croatia. In the meantime, the capercaillie has disappeared from two massifs and lek numbers have fallen by 77 %. The only area where lek numbers have increased is the Lička Plješivica, a massif on the border with Bosnia and Herzegovina. In this study we applied ENFA analysis to evaluate the habitat suitability for capercaillie on the Lička Plješivica massif. The habitat analysis showed that the capercaillie prefers steeper terrain and ridges, forest roads as well as forest associations with higher basal areas, and it avoids grasslands. The capercaillie in general prefers areas with a cold and humid climate. However, compared to the boreal region, the Alps and the Carpathian Mountains, the capercaillie shows a certain habitat preference for the Dinaric Alps. In conclusion, the high suitability of the habitat and its connection to the Bosnia-and-Herzegovinian capercaillie population are probably the causes underlying the increase in the capercaillie population on the Lička Plješivica massif.

avian habitat suitability, Balkan forest dwelling bird species, Croatia, leks, range decline

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