Wildlife

Wild Cornish Chough Welfare and Recovery

Conservation of the Cornish chough and welfare considerations for this charismatic corvid restricted to SW Britain.

Key Facts

Choughs returned to Cornwall naturally in 2001 after absence of over 50 years
Current Cornish population numbers around 20-30 birds
Choughs require short-grazed coastal turf to access invertebrate food
Livestock grazing management is critical for maintaining suitable chough foraging habitat
Disturbance at nest sites can cause desertion and breeding failure

Welfare Considerations

Individual choughs in this tiny population face significant welfare challenges including food shortage and disturbance. With such a small population, each breeding failure represents a significant proportional setback. Targeted habitat management directly supports individual bird welfare.

What You Can Do

Support RSPB and Cornwall Wildlife Trust chough conservation work
Keep dogs on leads on coastal paths in chough territories
Contribute to chough monitoring by reporting sightings through established schemes