| Abstract: | Selection of winter feeding trees by capercaillie Tetrao urogallus was studied by sampling of needles of Scots pine Pinus sylvestris trees browsed by capercaillie and closely situated unbrowsed trees in 5 localities situated in the southern half of Norway. Browsed trees contained higher concentrations of N than unbrowsed trees but no differences in P were found among browsed and unbrowsed samples. Needles eaten by capercaillie were significantly lower in resin content than needles from unbrowsed trees. For tannin, no differences between browsed and unbrowsed trees were found. Results give evidence that capercaillie select needles richest in N when the resin content is low, but when high, the birds select needles low in resin. Thus, both N and resin play an important role in selection of winter browse by capercaillie. |
