Capercaillies, birds that live and breed amongst the Scots pines, have an intimate relationship with the tree. The males must compete for the right to mate exclusively with all the hen capercaillies.
TRANSCRIPT
- [Narrator] Capercaillie, a bird that has an intimate relationship with the Scots pine.
They live here, breed here, and even feed on the tree needles when other fruits and berries wither away.
(music) (rhythmic popping) Common and widespread in Scotland, their stronghold is here in the vast pine forest.
(birds squawking) The male bird's bizarre popping call is summoning the females to the lek.
[{wings flapping]} (copious popping) (wings flapping) (birds chirping) (popping call) Here in a forest clearing, they'll compete for the right to mate exclusively with all the hen capercaillies.
(birds chirping) (capercaillie calling) Weighing in at nine pounds, this young bird is in superb condition (popping call) (distant call) But an older male is up for the fight too.
(popping call) (capercaillie squawks) (music) (capercaillie popping) (capercaillie squawks) (wings flapping) (capercaillies popping) (wings flapping) (capercaillie popping) (music) It's time to do battle.
(music) (capercaillies squawking) (wings flapping) (music) They're evenly matched.
It's simply a question of who gives way first.
(capercaillies squawking) (music) (capercaillie popping) The younger male is on the run, handing victory to the dominant, older bird.
(capercaillie popping) Monarch of the glen, he's retained mastery of the lek.
All the females are his.