Fig. 1. Location of the six study areas in southern Germany, and sampling design within each study area. A 200 x 200 m grid of sample plots was laid over each area. Habitat variables were recorded within a 20 m radius to calculate HSI scores. As an index of Capercaillie use, presence or absence of signs such as feathers and feces was recorded within a 5 m radius. To assess habitat suitability and Capercaillie abundance for 100-, 400-, and 2000-ha areas, data for all sample plots were aggregated.