What do they look like?

Adults are a bit like a Rook with a thin red down-turned bill. In flight they often soar and perform aerobatics. A picture

Where do they live?

Parts of the world where they live include Spain, Brittany, Corsica, Italy, Greece, and North Africa. In Britain and Ireland, they live on the coasts that get mild south-westerly winds and currents; places such as Pembrokeshire, the Lleyn peninsular, Ireland, the Isle of Man and Islay (but not much further north). They tend to stay within 1.5 km of the coast, and normally around heath or pastureland, particularly where there is short grass. They nest in colonies in cleft rocks, caves or on cliff ledges.

Why do they live there?

The mild climate is clearly a big factor. As choughs need to dig for food it is thought that places where the ground does not freeze may be more attractive. It also likely that the types of habitats often occuring on these coasts (such as pasture or heath) provide a good source of food, and the cliffs provide safe nest sites.

What do they eat?

Mainly larvae such as leatherjackets, beetle grubs, scarab grubs (found in cow pats!), ants and spiders. They will also eat seeds found in stubble-fields. It is interesting that this is a coastal bird that is not dependent on fish.

How many are there?

In Britain or Ireland at any one time there are probably between 2500 and 5000 birds, and the population does not seem under too much threat, even though the harsher months of winter often lead to many birds dying. Pembrokeshire has about 50 breeding pairs.

What else is there to tell

Choughs make a long high pitched sound "kee-ya" and they are protected at all times by their listing in Schedule 1 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981. If you would like to know more, try to obtain a copy of: "The Chough in Britain and Ireland", by I.D.Bullock, D.R.Drewett and S.P.Mickleburgh, in British Birds 76:377-401.