3.2. Morphological features

Morphological measurements were taken to reveal the differences between wild and hand-reared capercaillies (I), as well as between grey partridges fed with different diets (II, III, V). Body mass of birds, mass of gizzards and livers and lengths of small intestine and caeca were measured. The gizzard was weighed without its inner cuticle. Small intestine and caeca were measured straightened but not stretched on a flat surface.

To be able to study the potential flight capacity disparities between wild and hand-reared capercaillies, heart, and pectoral muscle were weighed (I). As an indicator of growth and capability to fly, the lengths of primary feathers were measured from grey partridge chicks given different diets (II).