- published: 02 Apr 2012
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The western capercaillie (Tetrao urogallus), also known as the wood grouse, heather cock or just capercaillie /ˌkæpərˈkeɪli/, is the largest member of the grouse family. The largest known specimen, recorded in captivity, had a weight of 7.2 kg (16 lb). The species shows extreme sexual dimorphism, with the male twice the size of the female. Found across Europe and Asia, this spectacular ground-living forest bird is renowned for its mating display. The United Kingdom population, confined to the pine forests of Scotland, is in rapid decline and threatened with extinction. However, individuals in Northern Europe and Asia number in the millions, and therefore the worldwide population is categorised as "Least concern".
The species was first described by Linnaeus in his Systema naturae in 1758 under its current binomial name.
Its closest relative is the black-billed capercaillie, Tetrao parvirostris, which breeds in the larch taiga forests of eastern Russia and parts of northern Mongolia and China.
Sir David Frederick Attenborough /ˈætənbʌrə/ OM CH CVO CBE FRS FLS FZS FSA Kt (born 8 May 1926) is an English broadcaster and naturalist.
He is best known for writing and presenting the nine Life series, in conjunction with the BBC Natural History Unit, which collectively form a comprehensive survey of animal and plant life on the planet. He is also a former senior manager at the BBC, having served as controller of BBC Two and director of programming for BBC Television in the 1960s and 1970s. He is the only person to have won BAFTAs for programmes in each of black and white, colour, HD, and 3D.
Attenborough is widely considered a national treasure in Britain, although he himself does not like the term. In 2002 he was named among the 100 Greatest Britons following a UK-wide vote. He is the younger brother of director, producer and actor Richard Attenborough.
Attenborough was born in Isleworth, West London, but grew up in College House on the campus of the University College, Leicester, where his father, Frederick, was principal. He is the middle of three sons (his elder brother, Richard, became an actor and director and his younger brother, John, an executive at Italian car manufacturer Alfa Romeo). During World War II, through a British charitable programme known as Kindertransport, his parents also fostered two Jewish refugee girls from Europe.
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Capercaillie, Hebridean Celtic Festival, HebCelt 2013,3 Niall Iain Dòmhnallach,Steòrnabhagh
Capercaillie - The Tree
An emigrant song in praise of Uist. The beautiful words were written
by Allan MacPhee who lived at Loch Carnan, South Uist.
O mo dhuthaich' stu th'air m'aire
Uibhist chumhraidh ur anan gallan,
Far a faighte na daoin' uaisle,
Far 'm bu dual do Mha 'ic Ailein.
Tir a' mhurain, tir an eorna
Tir 's am pailt a h-uile seorsa
Far am bi na gillean oga
Gabhail oran 's 'g ol an lionna
Thig iad ugainn, carach, seolta
Gus ar mealladh far ar n-eolais;
Molaidh iad dhuinn Manitoba,
Duthaich fhuar gun ghual, gun mhoine.
Cha leig mi leas a bhith 'ga innse,
Nuair a ruigear, 'sann a chithear,
Samhradh goirid foghar sitheil,
Geamhradh fada na droch-shide
Nam biodh agam fhin de storas
Da dheis aodaich, paidhir bhrogan
Agus m'fharadh bhith 'nam phoca
'Sann air Uibhist dheanainn seoladh.