Wildlife Welfare

Wild Cornish Chough Welfare

Red-billed choughs are rare UK corvids confined to western coasts whose welfare depends on short-cropped coastal grassland for invertebrate foraging.

Key Facts

UK chough population is around 400 pairs confined to Wales, Scotland, and Ireland
They require short coastal grassland maintained by livestock grazing for foraging
Climate change affecting invertebrate availability threatens food security
Choughs are sensitive to human disturbance at nest sites during breeding
Conservation grazing programmes maintain appropriate grassland structure for choughs

Welfare Considerations

Chough welfare depends on maintaining short coastal grassland through appropriate livestock grazing that exposes invertebrate prey. Individual chough welfare is linked to traditional pastoral farming practices that are declining with rural depopulation and changing economics.

What You Can Do

Support conservation grazing programmes that maintain chough foraging habitat
Maintain appropriate distances from chough nest sites during breeding season
Donate to RSPB Wales and Scottish chough conservation programmes