The Bachelor Boys

Two birds from separate clutches of the pair of choughs breeding on the Lizard have now found themselves a new territory in West Cornwall.

The birds, a male from 2005 (yellow & lime/black leg rings) along with an older 2004 male (orange & red/red leg rings), seem very settled in their new location. They have been monitored regularly, and have set up a roosting site close to some old engine houses on the coast. At times they can be seen perched on top of the old mine buildings - what could be more Cornish?

A Cornish scene - A J Hales

It is thought that choughs require land to be managed, in order to produce the short grass they like to probe. However, in this case (along with the pair at nest site two), they seem to prefer unmanaged land, grazed down only by the local rabbit population. This now means that two out the three sites populated by choughs in West Cornwall are on unmanaged land - an indication of the general improvement in the coastal environment.

The Bachelor Boys - A J Hales

The two birds spend most of their days feeding - as do most choughs. They also have to deal with other local residents, including crows, ravens and peregrines.

Shielding food from a crow - A J Hales

On one occasion we saw a chough feeding on a snail, in the same way as a thrush would. The bird was being pestered by a crow, and clearly kept the intruder at bay. It can be seen in the picture shielding the prey item from the other bird.

Paradise Park Wildlife Sanctuary, Hayle Cornwall TR27 4HB, UK
www.paradisepark.org.uk