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Rain, breeding success and distribution of Capercaillie Tetrao urogallus and Black Grouse Tetrao tetrix in Scotland
Author(s) -
MOSS R.
Publication year - 1986
Publication title -
ibis
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.933
H-Index - 80
eISSN - 1474-919X
pISSN - 0019-1019
DOI - 10.1111/j.1474-919x.1986.tb02093.x
Subject(s) - grouse , hatching , geography , distribution (mathematics) , ecology , biology , habitat , mathematical analysis , mathematics
The number of chicks reared by Capercaillie was inversely related to the number of days with rain during and just after their hatching. However, rain had no detectable effect on the breeding success of Black Grouse on the same study area. The breeding distribution of Capercaillie in Scotland is more limited than that of Black Grouse, which extends into rainier areas. It is speculated that sexual selection for large size in Capercaillie has indirectly caused their chicks to be more vulnerable to rain and, consequently, has limited their distribution to less rainy areas.