Choughs are a member of the crow family, but slightly slimmer and more acrobatic than most crows. They have a slender, slightly down-curved red beak and red legs and feet. They breed in coastal cliffs above the high-water mark, and sometimes in old buildings or quarries. In Scotland, they are now only found on the Hebridean islands of Islay and Colonsay. They are restricted to areas with very mild winters, suitable nest cavities and grazed pastures at the right level of grazing. They feed on invertebrates in soil and dung.
Chough is on the Scottish Biodiversity List, which identifies the species that are of the most importance to biodiversity in Scotland. They are also a Species of European Conservation Concern.
Photos: Amy Millard, Bob Sharples and Martin Yelland for rspb-images.com
Action Needed
We need to support Chough population reinforcement, bringing in birds from elsewhere in the UK to Scotland, to address the inbreeding risk.
We need support for sustainable landscape-scale habitat management and agricultural practices, including well-funded and targeted farm and croft support specific to Chough. In particular, we need grassland management for Chough to be practised at key sites.
RSPB Scotland is calling for the nature-friendly farming budget to increase from 5% of the overall farming budget in 2025 to 25% in 2026 and then gradually increase to 75% by 2031.
Threats
Choughs rely on mixed species grazing with low pesticide use on coastal heath or grassland to ensure plenty of invertebrates. Due to changes in farming and crofting practices, in particular loss of active farming and reduction in livestock numbers on grazed dune systems in Islay and Colonsay, many areas are now either under-grazed for Choughs, or they have moved away from grazing use. As a result, the numbers of young Choughs surviving their first year are too low. Blanket use of veterinary medicines also affects the invertebrates in the dung of grazed animals and makes it hard for Choughs to find enough food.
Uncertainty over future scheme in the past few years, and the lack of flexibility within the current scheme, has made it hard for farmers and crofters to commit to managing land for Chough.
The Scottish population of Chough is very small and isolated, and inbreeding is a concern. Recent research has shown that the Scottish population will be extinct within 50 years without improved habitat management and genetic reinforcement.
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