Capercaillie - a bird from the grouse family, living on the territory of our country, in almost all corners of Russia. Mostly they like to live in dense forests, either pure coniferous, or mixed, or near swamps. Preferring to lead a sedentary lifestyle, the wood grouse rarely flies to another forest. But on foot, this representative of the black grouse is able to overcome significant distances.
Capercaillie - a bird with plumage of extraordinary beauty. During mating, the male fan spreads its bright tail like a peacock, trying to attract the attention of a less bright female. The back of the bird has a black-gray color with specks of light colors, the breast of the bird is greenish with an interesting metallic tint. Gray wings would complete the look of the capercaillie, if not for his eyebrows, swelling by spring. At the time when the capercaillie begins to current, these eyebrows have a bright red or burgundy color.
The feathered diet includes both food of plant origin (grass, berries, seeds of trees and shrubs, flowers and leaves), as well as various insects. Rarely using its wings , the capercaillie, even during the flight, does not rise very high, hardly a little above the trees.
Surely everyone heard such an expression used in relation to a person who repeats the same thing without listening to others: “You are like a capercaillie on a current!”. Why did people become so figuratively comparing a person who does not listen to the opinions of others with this interesting bird? Yes, precisely because the capercaillie is a bird, flying to the current site and starting its “chants”, becoming completely deaf to everything around! It was at this time that predators took advantage of this feature of current males, creeping up and grabbing prey almost unhindered.
In addition to singing, which consists of clicking and hissing, birds also add “dancing” to their performances! And it happens this way: selflessly snapping and hissing male, spreading its wings and stretching its neck, fluffs its tail and proudly paces the current to and fro: demonstrates to all its incomparable beauty and artistic talent!
Of course, the females, having heard males singing extremely pleasant to their ears, also come to take a look at this performance, and if they are lucky, then choose a partner for the offspring.
But this event is not always limited to the peace-loving "amateur performances." Often, birds on the currents arrange fights among themselves, figuring out which of them is the most-most. All this is done, again, to attract females. However, often these fights end tragically: a weaker rival may even die from received wounds.
By the way, for many, hunting for capercaillie in the spring is one of the highest pleasures. Well, they love to shoot grouse in the spring, especially since this occupation does not require special skill from them. And others themselves “equip” the current body by planting rag dolls, one in one imitating a male. And if, moreover, you hide a tape recorder in the bushes that will transmit “capercaillie singing”, or skillfully “sing” capercaillie romance about falling in love yourself, then collecting females for a deceitful current is guaranteed! Until they figure out what's what, until they discover a forgery! And the hunter does not sleep ...
Sometimes it happens that due to diseases, poaching, too active “knightly fights” and predators, the population of male capercaillie becomes much lower than the population of females. But they do not suffer for a long time, "staying up in the girls", but go straight ahead ... to the grouse of the grouse!
As a result, offspring appears in the wood grouse - a mixture of black grouse and capercaillie, which is called the “mezhnyak”. By the way, the opposite option is quite likely: when the female black grouse appears at the “ball” to the capercaillie.
Mezhnyaki can be more like either black grouse, or resemble grouse - it all depends on what species the female belonged to. They almost do not differ from their relatives, but they are unable to give offspring.
But miss such an event as a current, mezhnyaki can not! They also flock to the “bridegroom” in advance, but more in order to take part in the battles. Either because of their inferiority, or because of an insult to everyone and everything, but the mezhnyak actively interfere with the formation of married couples! Therefore, they are more likely to harm nature than benefit.
By the way, one more feature of this interesting bird, which concerns its wintering, should be noted. After all, the capercaillie hibernates deep under the snow, like a bear. Only he builds a "den" for himself in a very original way: after flying up a tree, the bird selects a larger snowdrift and, having folded its wings, falls into it with a stone.