Protected birds: the rock ptarmigan and the capercaillie listed as protected species in France

The Alpine ptarmigan and the capercaillie have been added to the list of protected bird species by two decrees published in the French Official Journal on 8 September 2026.

This decision follows the launch of consultations aimed at classifying these birds as protected species, announced by Monique Barbut, Minister for Ecological Transition, last April during a meeting of the National Biodiversity Council.

It is now a done deal. For the League for the Protection of Birds (LPO), this is “excellent news”, as this decision provides a “stable legal framework, which is essential given the conservation status of these two birds”.

Indeed, the LPO points out that these two species are “in a conservation status deemed unfavourable by scientists”. The causes include the reduction and fragmentation of…