Marcin Matysek, Robert Gwiazda, Bogusław Binkiewicz, Grzegorz Szewczyk
Ornis Polonica 2021, 62: 49–59
https://doi.org/10.12657/ornis.2021.1.4
Abstract: The paper summarizes the results of an inventory of the Hazel Grouse inhabiting the Tatra National Park carried out in 2010–2013. The Hazel Grouse occurrence was detected based on the birds response to the territorial voice of a this species played from an electronic device at points determined systematically every 200 m. In total, 79 sites of this species were recorded and total population size was estimated at approximately 96–104 sites. Density of this species was 0.6 sites/km2 (0.73–0.79 sites/km2 for the estimated population size). The Hazel Grouse was the most numerous in the lower montane zone (48 sites), with density of 0.56 sites/km2. 29 sites were found in the upper montane zone, and density was 0.64 sites/km2. This species inhabited forests and partially the dwarf mountain pine zone where it was not inventoried. It was the most numerous in the altitude range from 1100 to 1300 m above sea level (62% of the inventoried sites). It inhabited mostly the south-west and south-eastern slopes, avoiding the north and north-west ones. The most numerous sites of the Hazel Grouse was in the forests under active protection (34 sites, density of 0.63 sites/km2) in comparison with the forests under strict protection (31 sites, density of 0.58 sites/km2) and landscape protection (14 sites, density of 0.58 sites/km2).
Keywords: abundance, distribution, Hazel Grouse, Tatra National Park, Tetrastes bonasia, the Tatra Mountains
