Comment on FR Doc # E9-31101

Comments to the information on Cantabrian Capercaillie - Under Cantabrian Capercaillie's Species Description only male's plumage is described. Please note it does not at all describe female's. Sexual dimorphism in this bird is marked. There are also subtle but important differences in habitat selection; females use more often treeline habitats, which are not as protected as forests per se in the region. Please see Bañuelos et al 2008. Journal of Ornithology, 149, 245-252 (attached). - There is new, published information about diet selection. Please see Blanco-Fontao et al 2010. Journal of Ornithology, online first (attached). - There is an update of the estimated decline published in 2008 in the IUCN's Grouse Group newsletter (Bañuelos & Quevedo 2008, attached). - I do not think there is data available to support information on population subdivision, neither in the southern nor in the northern watersheds of the range. Such detailed knowledge would be very useful, but it requires data on individual dispersal or finely resolved genetic structure of the potential population nucleii. None of this exists so far, at least in thee published domain. - There are significant updates on the phylogeography of the population and its potential significance for future management. Please see "Rodríguez-Muñoz R et al. 2007. Conservation Genetics, 8, 659-670"