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Cornwall Chough Project |
Return of the Cornish chough
Early in the spring of 2001, there was a small influx of wild choughs along the south coast of England, from Portland in Dorset to the Isles of Scilly and a group of three took up residence on the Lizard. The origin of these wild birds has been the subject of much debate, but the most probable explanation is that they were young birds from Brittany. In 2002, two of the birds bred, the first time in Cornwall in more than 50 years. Since then this pair have nested each year - raising 20 youngsters, many of which are now to be found on the Lizard or Land’s End peninsulas. Another milestone was reached in 2006 when a second pair (a male offspring of the Lizard pair, and an incoming wild female) successfully bred raising 3 young. In 2007, two pairs of choughs again bred successfully in Cornwall fledging 9 young between them. Unfortunately, not all young choughs have or can be expected to survive as the mortality rate for a bird like a chough is quite high. Despite this, these Cornish pioneers are faring as well as, and in fact even better, than their cousins in Wales or Brittany.
Records of choughs returning to - and breeding at - long-vacated sites in Wales had indicated that the north Cornish coast was the most likely place to host any chough recolonisation. So a programme of habitat restoration was well underway in anticipation, prior to the birds’ return. The key was the reintroduction of clifftop grazing to ensure there would be sufficient good quality habitat for them to survive and, hopefully, successfully raise young in the county.
Natural recolonisation of the county will undoubtedly be a slow process. Being small in number, the Cornish choughs are vulnerable to extinction through natural events such as a run of bad winters or an attack by a predator such as a peregrine. However, the population is growing at a similar rate as other recolonised sites in the UK, and should become more secure over time. Slow but steadyResearch work in Wales tells us that where choughs had been lost for decades from an area, it can take more than 10 years from that first pioneering pair returning to an area to reach two or more pairs. Experts are not unduly concerned about the population growing from only one pair of birds, because it happens quite often in the wild and would only be an issue if it stayed that way for many generations. An increasing population being joined by occasional new wild birds - as is happening already in Cornwall - will help the recolonisation process.
Various native hardy breeds of animal graze the Lizard cliffs including Shetland ponies, Highland cattle and Hebridean and Soay sheep. Thanks must go to all those farmers and landowners who support the project by grazing the coastal strip. Last modified: 29 May 2007 | Bird guide |
Minsmere RSPB Reserve, general view of Boomacre Mere - David Tipling (rspb-images.com)
Hummingbird hawkmoth - Steve Round
Tree sparrow perched on branch in woodland - Sue Tranter (rspb-images.com, Ref: 1018091)