Chough

Listen to example recordings of the main vocalisations of Chough, provided by xeno-canto contributors.

This species can be found on the following statutory and conservation listings and schedules.

UK Birds of Conservation Concern	Green listed
Species of European Conservation Concern	Least Concern
IUCN Red List of Threatened Species (global)	Least Concern
Schedule 1 license required (to disturb)	Yes
Birds Directive Annex 1	Yes
Listed on the Annexes of	WCA(I,IV), WBD(I), Bern(III)

This species is monitored by intermittent single-species surveys which include the Isle of Man as well as the UK. The most recent of these in 2014 recorded a total of 433 breeding pairs, an increase of 34% since 1992. The majority of the population (236 pairs) were in Wales and on the Isle of Man (133 pairs). The population in Wales was stable between 2002 and 2014 but the population in Scotland declined by 25% over that same period. In contrast, numbers almost doubled on the Isle of Man (Hayhow et al. 2018).

Chough distribution in Britain & Ireland is limited to regions with very mild winters, suitable nest cavities and grazed pastures. Birds present in the breeding season in southwest Scotland had disappeared by the closing field seasons of the Atlas and were not recorded in the winter. With their loss, Scottish Choughs are now restricted to Colonsay, Islay and Jura. In Ireland, except where deep bays are flanked by low-lying shores, the range is near continuous from Co. Donegal to Co. Wexford. There is a small outlying population on Rathlin Island, Co. Antrim.

In winter, losses in range were recorded on the Mull of Kintyre and Gigha in Scotland and nearby in Northern Ireland. These changes may be connected because wintering birds on the Mull of Kintyre may have originated from Northern Ireland.

Chough is a localised resident and can be recorded throughout the year in suitable habitats.

View a summary of recoveries in the Online Ringing Report.

Foreign locations of birds ringed or recovered in Britain & Ireland

View number ringed each year in the Online Ringing Report

Maximum Age from Ringing	23 years 0 months 11 days (set in 2019)
Typical Lifespan	7 years with breeding typically at 3 year
Adult Survival	0.8±0.011
Juvenile Survival	0.43 (in first year)

Wing Length	Adults	283.5±12 | Range 260–303mm, N=71
	Males	292.5±9.4 | Range 273–305mm, N=34
	Females	275.9±7.1 | Range 260–283mm, N=34

Body Weight	Adults	328±35.7 | Range 280–370g, N=70
	Males	353±33.9 | Range 306–389g, N=33
	Females	305±16.4 | Range 280–334g, N=34

Feather measurements and photos on featherbase

Ring size	E (pulli E or F)
Field Codes	2-letter: CF | 5-letter code: CHOUG | Euring: 15590

For information in another language (where available) click on a linked name

Causes of change

Agricultural changes such as differing changes to livestock practices could have had both positive and negative effects on local Chough abundance (Johnstone et al. 2007). Fluctuations in Chough numbers in some parts of Wales and on Colonsay (Scotland) have also been attributed to changes in levels of grazing (Hayhow et al. 2018). On the Calf of Man, changes in Chough numbers are correlated with changes in the Sheep and Rabbit population, with both being equally important (McCanch 2000). Analysis of data based on colour-marked individuals from the population on Islay, Scotland found that population changes there were driven primarily by changes in survival of immature birds (and hence recruitment to the breeding population) rather than breeding productivity (Reid et al. 2004).