“Choughs forage for invertebrates in short grass, and therefore require a combination of cliffs and grazed pastures, as well as mild winters” AS THE YEAR advances, many of us will visit westerly coastlines, catching the last of the summer or, for birdwatchers, seeking encounters with autumn rarities. An extra treat in these areas is the sight of wheeling, swooping, playing Choughs, gathering into flocks.
We think of corvids such as Carrion Crows, Rooks and Jackdaws as being common and generalist, but Choughs are rare habitat specialists. Overall, similar in appearance to other crows, their bright red legs and long, red curved bills add a touch of the exotic, and their playful, vocal character draws the attention of even casual observers.
Their Latin name, Pyrrhocorax, or ‘fire raven’, evokes their mercurial…
