Wild Animal Welfare

Wild Cornish Chough Recovery Progress

Cornish choughs have recolonised Cornwall after decades of absence - habitat management and monitoring directly support individual breeding pair welfare.

Key Facts

Choughs returned to Cornwall in 2001 after a 50-year absence as breeding birds
Short coastal grassland created by grazing livestock provides foraging habitat for invertebrate prey
Cliff nesting sites require protection from disturbance during the breeding season
The UK population has grown to over 400 pairs, mostly in Wales, Scotland, and Ireland
Choughs are highly site-faithful - protecting established nest sites is a priority

Welfare Considerations

Individual chough breeding pairs in Cornwall and elsewhere benefit directly from maintained coastal grassland habitat and disturbance prevention at nest sites. Each pair represents a welfare and conservation success in a formerly lost landscape.

What You Can Do

Support the RSPB Choughs in Cornwall project and Welsh chough conservation
Respect cliff exclusion zones during chough breeding season
Engage with livestock grazing schemes that maintain chough foraging habitat