Main content

Capercaillie

Kate Humble presents the capercaillie.

Tweet of the Day is a series of fascinating stories about our British birds inspired by their calls and songs.

Kate Humble presents the capercaillie. The bizarre knife-grinding, cork-popping display of the male capercaillie is one of the strangest sounds produced by any bird. The name 'Capercaillie' is derived from the Gaelic for 'horse of the woods', owing to the cantering sound, which is the start of their extraordinary mating display. These are the largest grouse in the world and in the UK they live only in ancient Caledonian pine forests.

Available now

2 minutes

Last on

Fri 12 Jan 202405:58
BBC Radio 4

More episodes

Previous

Stock Dove

Next

Ruddy Duck

See all episodes from Tweet of the Day

Capercaillie (Tetrao urogallus)

Webpage image courtesy of RSPB (rspb-images.com).

Broadcasts

  • Wed 23 Apr 201405:58
    BBC Radio 4
  • Wed 22 Apr 201505:58
    BBC Radio 4
  • Sun 26 Apr 201508:58
    BBC Radio 4
  • Mon 11 Jul 201605:58
    BBC Radio 4
  • Sun 17 Jul 201608:58
    BBC Radio 4
  • Mon 10 Dec 201805:58
    BBC Radio 4
  • Tue 14 Jan 202005:58
    BBC Radio 4
  • Wed 17 Nov 202105:58
    BBC Radio 4
  • Tue 8 Mar 202205:58
    BBC Radio 4
  • Fri 12 Jan 202405:58
    BBC Radio 4

Featured in...

Podcast: Planet Puffin

Podcast: Planet Puffin

Exploring all things puffin - the silly and the serious, the scientific and the cultural.

Try this new podcast

Try this new podcast

Five stories of birds and birdsong are told by the people inspired by them.

Podcast

  • Tweet of the Day

    Discover birds through their songs and calls. 265 programmes of 90 seconds, over a year

Related Links