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vol. 7, nr. 2 (2006)
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Selected elements of capercaillies (Tetrao urogallus L.) during reproduction in a captive breeding
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Roman Dziedzic, Marian Flis, Mariusz Wójcik, Sławomir Beeger
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Department of Ecology and Wildlife Management, Agricultural University, ul. Akademicka 13, 20-950 Lublin, Poland |
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vol. 7 (2006), nr. 2,
pp. 317-326
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abstract:
A noticeable decrease in the number as well as shrinking of individual areas of capercaillies (Tetrao urogallus L.) have been observed both in Poland and in most European countries for several dozen of years. In connection with this fact, new attempts for closed breeding of capercaillies have been made for several years, and raised individuals are settled in natural habitats. Currently, there are two volier breeding farms of this species with somewhat different specificity of bird raising. The purpose of the research was to determine the usefulness of farm birds for introduction on the basis of their behaviour in different periods of tooting. The observation of birds was made in one volier with two cocks while three hens had free access there. The research was carried out in two periods of the reproduction season by a method of daily observation (from dawn to dusk), recording the duration of different sorts of behaviour. At the beginning of the tooting, social hierarchy between the cocks was established. The older cock spent more time on the ground trying to drive the rival from his area. In the second period of the tooting, the older cock was a noticeable dominant. He spent most of his time on the ground showing tooting behaviour (singing songs), and the young cock, as a subordinated individual, was little visible, he appeared on the open ground for a while and then hid in the brush, giving the ground to the main tooter. Furthermore, the behaviour of the dominant cock in full tooting resembles the behaviour of tooters in their natural conditions – spending time on the roost (a perch above the ground), flying down and playing mating songs (tooting). There was a big diversity in hens behaviour, both at the initial stage and in full tooting. Despite the fact that the hens had free access to all of the voliers, they tended to spend most of the time with the dominant cock which was the main candidate for reproduction. Social hierarchy among hens was established and the lowest position in this hierarchy was occupied by a hen with a visible level of body asymmetry (limping). The results obtained show a similarity in birds behaviour coming from the volier breeding farm and those from the natural habitat. This suggests that the birds have not lost the natural instincts and are fully useful for reintroduction.
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keywords:
capercaillie, tooting, social hierarchy, behaviour, reproduction
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original in:
Polish
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