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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 - 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 |
