Red-billed Chough (Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax)
Cape Clear Co.Cork Ireland 08-10-2019
[order] Passeriformes | [family] Corvidae | [latin] Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax | [UK] Chough | [FR] Crave à bec rouge | [DE] Alpenkrähe | [ES] Chova piquirroja | [IT] Gracchio corallino | [NL] Alpenkraai | [IRL] Cág cosdearg
Measurements
spanwidth min.: 73 cm
spanwidth max.: 90 cm
size min.: 39 cm
size max.: 40 cm
Breeding
incubation min.: 17 days
incubation max.: 18 days
fledging min.: 31 days
fledging max.: 41 days
broods 1
eggs min.: 3
eggs max.: 5
Status: Resident along rocky coasts in Munster, as well as parts of Connaght and Ulster.
Conservation Concern: Amber-listed in Ireland. The European population has been evaluated as declining by BirdLife International, due to an ongoing moderate decline.
Identification: Marginally larger than the familiar Jackdaw, at 40 cm in length, in many respects the Chough looks like a typical all-black crow. At close range, however, its unique long, down-curved red bill and bright red legs make identification easy; the Irish name of this species translates as “red-legged Jackdaw”. Choughs also have more prominently “fingered” flight-feathers than our other crows, giving them a distinctive silhouette in the air.
Amongst our most accomplished aerobatic fliers, Choughs frequently swoop and soar in updrafts around cliffs, seemingly often just for fun. So skilled are these natural stunt pilots that they will sometimes even fly upside down, perform barrel rolls, etc.
Call: A very distinctive “key-aww”
Diet: Feeds mostly on insects and their larvae, worms and other subterranean invertebrates, using their curved bills to dig them out of the soil. They will also eat berries, grain, small mammals and birds and, in true crow fashion, pretty much anything else they can find.
Breeding: Nests in caves or crevices along coasts, or less frequently, in old buildings.
Wintering: Mainly local dispersal from breeding sites to favoured coastal areas.
Where to See: The Dingle Peninsula and the Cliffs of Moher and Waterford coastline are reliable sites to see this species
Physical characteristics
Red-billed Chough has bright blue black plumage, with green sheen on wings. Wings are long with long primaries. Eyes are black. Down curved bill is red and slender. Legs and feet are red, with black claws. Both sexes are similar. Juvenile is duller than adults, with yellow orange bill.
Red-billed Chough performs a superb and very graceful flight. It likes to play in thermal currents, performing vertiginous dives and acrobatic swoops. It soars effortless, and rises with the wind, crossing contrary winds to stop before diving with strong wing beats to get good speed. Then, it glides easily, and slewing its wide tail, it turns into the wind and rises again rapidly, performing a close turn while it goes forwards drifting slightly on the side. It is the only bird in the world able to perform this aerial display.
Red-billed Chough feeds on maritime heaths and pastures at the top of cliffs. When on ground, it may walk, hop or run quickly on short distance. It is a gregarious species, and they gather in groups to feed in short grassy areas. They are often seen in pairs or in small flocks, but also in large groups of hundreds of birds. Each group has a hierarchy, and birds may live and feed together without any problem. Young need 2 to 3 years within a group to get their own status, with some aggressive but rarely important fights. When food resources are reduced, dominant birds are able to find food enough, in order to survive and breed successfully. During breeding season, Red-billed Chough pair defends strongly its territory, chasing away any intruder able to threaten the nest site. If a predator comes too close, choughs perform spectacular aerial displays, to defend young still dependent within the group.
Habitat
Red-billed Chough breeds in high mountains and coastal cliffs, but with adjacent short grass pastures. It is also found in grassy and cultivated areas with rocky crags.
Other details
Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax is resident in parts of Britain and Ireland and across much of southern Europe, which accounts for less than half of its global range. Its European breeding population is relatively small (10%) overall.
This bird has a discontinuous distribution in southern Europe and Central Asia, from Turkey to China. Small populations also inhabit the Canary islands, Morocco and Ethiopia. It is breeding in low-lying mountainous regions and along rocky coasts. The population of the European Union amounts to 14000 breeding pairs, but in most regions it is declining
Feeding
Red-billed Chough feeds on terrestrial invertebrates, mainly ants, insects and larvae. They also consume seeds and berries in winter. Coastal birds also eat crustaceans and molluscs.
Red-billed Chough (Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax)
Cape Clear Co.Cork Ireland 08-10-2019
[order] Passeriformes | [family] Corvidae | [latin] Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax | [UK] Chough | [FR] Crave à bec rouge | [DE] Alpenkrähe | [ES] Chova piquirroja | [IT] Gracchio corallino | [NL] Alpenkraai | [IRL] Cág cosdearg
Measurements
spanwidth min.: 73 cm
spanwidth max.: 90 cm
size min.: 39 cm
size max.: 40 cm
Breeding
incubation min.: 17 days
incubation max.: 18 days
fledging min.: 31 days
fledging max.: 41 days
broods 1
eggs min.: 3
eggs max.: 5
Status: Resident along rocky coasts in Munster, as well as parts of Connaght and Ulster.
Conservation Concern: Amber-listed in Ireland. The European population has been evaluated as declining by BirdLife International, due to an ongoing moderate decline.
Identification: Marginally larger than the familiar Jackdaw, at 40 cm in length, in many respects the Chough looks like a typical all-black crow. At close range, however, its unique long, down-curved red bill and bright red legs make identification easy; the Irish name of this species translates as “red-legged Jackdaw”. Choughs also have more prominently “fingered” flight-feathers than our other crows, giving them a distinctive silhouette in the air.
Amongst our most accomplished aerobatic fliers, Choughs frequently swoop and soar in updrafts around cliffs, seemingly often just for fun. So skilled are these natural stunt pilots that they will sometimes even fly upside down, perform barrel rolls, etc.
Call: A very distinctive “key-aww”
Diet: Feeds mostly on insects and their larvae, worms and other subterranean invertebrates, using their curved bills to dig them out of the soil. They will also eat berries, grain, small mammals and birds and, in true crow fashion, pretty much anything else they can find.
Breeding: Nests in caves or crevices along coasts, or less frequently, in old buildings.
Wintering: Mainly local dispersal from breeding sites to favoured coastal areas.
Where to See: The Dingle Peninsula and the Cliffs of Moher and Waterford coastline are reliable sites to see this species
Physical characteristics
Red-billed Chough has bright blue black plumage, with green sheen on wings. Wings are long with long primaries. Eyes are black. Down curved bill is red and slender. Legs and feet are red, with black claws. Both sexes are similar. Juvenile is duller than adults, with yellow orange bill.
Red-billed Chough performs a superb and very graceful flight. It likes to play in thermal currents, performing vertiginous dives and acrobatic swoops. It soars effortless, and rises with the wind, crossing contrary winds to stop before diving with strong wing beats to get good speed. Then, it glides easily, and slewing its wide tail, it turns into the wind and rises again rapidly, performing a close turn while it goes forwards drifting slightly on the side. It is the only bird in the world able to perform this aerial display.
Red-billed Chough feeds on maritime heaths and pastures at the top of cliffs. When on ground, it may walk, hop or run quickly on short distance. It is a gregarious species, and they gather in groups to feed in short grassy areas. They are often seen in pairs or in small flocks, but also in large groups of hundreds of birds. Each group has a hierarchy, and birds may live and feed together without any problem. Young need 2 to 3 years within a group to get their own status, with some aggressive but rarely important fights. When food resources are reduced, dominant birds are able to find food enough, in order to survive and breed successfully. During breeding season, Red-billed Chough pair defends strongly its territory, chasing away any intruder able to threaten the nest site. If a predator comes too close, choughs perform spectacular aerial displays, to defend young still dependent within the group.
Habitat
Red-billed Chough breeds in high mountains and coastal cliffs, but with adjacent short grass pastures. It is also found in grassy and cultivated areas with rocky crags.
Other details
Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax is resident in parts of Britain and Ireland and across much of southern Europe, which accounts for less than half of its global range. Its European breeding population is relatively small (10%) overall.
This bird has a discontinuous distribution in southern Europe and Central Asia, from Turkey to China. Small populations also inhabit the Canary islands, Morocco and Ethiopia. It is breeding in low-lying mountainous regions and along rocky coasts. The population of the European Union amounts to 14000 breeding pairs, but in most regions it is declining
Feeding
Red-billed Chough feeds on terrestrial invertebrates, mainly ants, insects and larvae. They also consume seeds and berries in winter. Coastal birds also eat crustaceans and molluscs.