Operation Chough

The Cornish Chough

The Cornish Chough is a member of the crow family distinguished by its striking red feet and elegantly curved bill.

The chough was once widespread throughout Britain, and appears on Cornwall’s coat of arms, but after years of decline it disappeared from the county in 1973. In the late 1970s we collaborated with other organisations and individual conservationists to form ‘Operation Chough’ aiming to again see this magnificent bird back on Cornwall’s cliffs.

Cornish Chough in flight
Cornish Chough in Flight - Picture by R Hales

 

Populations still existed in Wales and Scotland, but these sedentary birds rarely fly far. Then, in 2001, a small group of choughs arrived at the Lizard peninsula in Cornwall – and stayed. Two of these paired up and for the first time in fifty years chough chicks were reared in Cornwall. We later made a small trial release of captive birds in a separate location.

Aims

The long standing aim of Operation Chough remains to see the chough return to Cornwall, and able to maintain a healthy population.

Currently there are a small number of closely related birds living around the coast in the far west. We recognise the high importance of this pioneer population and are maintaining a watching brief with regard to them, while concerned at the small genetic diversity of the founders.

Over the next five years we will aim to:

• Increase the captive population by extending our partnerships with bird collections, and establish breeding groups in several locations.

• Investigate previous historic sites outside Cornwall to identify where chough could be re-established.

• Make birds available for release in Cornwall to secure the future of the current population, if necessary for demographic or genetic reasons. Make birds available for release elsewhere where this will support further colonisation.

• Promote work on chough genetics.

CLICK HERE to view the new Chough Webcam

 
Paradise Park, Hayle, Cornwall, TR27 4HB Infoline 01736 751020
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