Black-billed Capercaillie
Tetrao urogalloides
Embed This Widget
Add the script tag and a data attribute to embed this widget.
<script src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/npm/birdfyi-embed@1/dist/embed.min.js" defer></script>
<div data-birdfyi="bird" data-slug="tetrao-urogalloides"></div>Embed via iframe for maximum compatibility.
<iframe src="https://birdfyi.com/iframe/bird/tetrao-urogalloides/" width="420" height="400" frameborder="0" style="border:0;border-radius:10px;max-width:100%" loading="lazy"></iframe>Paste this URL in WordPress, Medium, or any oEmbed-compatible platform.
https://birdfyi.com/bird/tetrao-urogalloides/Add a dynamic SVG badge to your README or docs.
[](https://birdfyi.com/bird/tetrao-urogalloides/)Use the native HTML custom element.
<script src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/npm/birdfyi-embed@1/dist/embed.min.js" defer></script>
<birdfyi-bird slug="tetrao-urogalloides"></birdfyi-bird>About
A very large Phasianidae grouse (~2.96 kg) of Siberian larch and pine forests east of the Yenisei River. Closely related to the Western Capercaillie but distinguished by an all-black bill. Lekking males fan tail feathers dramatically. Feeds on needles and buds; Least Concern.
Physical Description
| Measurement | Value | Imperial |
|---|---|---|
| Wingspan | 68.2 cm | 26.9 in |
| Weight | 2957.5 g | 104.32 oz |
Identification
Plumage
Male uniformly glossy blue-black with slight greenish sheen on breast; smaller white wing spots than Western Capercaillie; black bill. Female barred rufous-buff and dark brown, paler below than congener.
Habitat & Range
Geographic Range
Resident of coniferous taiga in eastern Russia from the Lena River to the Pacific coast, Kamchatka, and northeastern China.
Diet & Feeding
Subsists mainly on larch needles in winter; takes berries, buds, and insects during the warmer season.
Conservation Status
Behavior & Breeding
Nesting
Nest type: SC. Incubation: 20-25 days. Fledging: 10 days.
Clutch Size
5-10
Sound
Song
Similar to Western Capercaillie but generally higher-pitched; ticking phase faster, grinding phase shorter. Siberian larch forest species. Alarm is a loud bark; females give soft clucking brood calls.
Taxonomy
| Kingdom | Animalia |
| Phylum | Chordata |
| Class | Aves |
| Order | Galliformes (Gamebirds) |
| Family | Phasianidae (Pheasants & Partridges) |
| Genus | Tetrao |
| Species | Tetrao urogalloides |
Distribution
Black-billed Capercaillie has been recorded in 1 countries.
{# Distribution Map — simplified SVG world map with highlighted countries. Expects `country_codes` variable: list of ISO alpha-2 codes (e.g. ["US", "CA", "MX"]). Uses Alpine.js to toggle classes on country paths. #}countries highlighted
External Databases
Frequently Asked Questions
What does the Black-billed Capercaillie eat?
Where does the Black-billed Capercaillie live?
Is the Black-billed Capercaillie endangered?
How does the Black-billed Capercaillie nest?
What does the Black-billed Capercaillie sound like?
How big is the Black-billed Capercaillie?
What order and family does the Black-billed Capercaillie belong to?
Similar Birds
Other species in the Phasianidae family