Chuffed Choughs

The Cornish Crow is more commonly known as the Chough or Cornish Chough. The bird has been linked to the County for 100s of years. The Chough is included in the county's coat of arms alongside the miner and the fisherman, reflecting the bird's importance in Cornish culture. Legend has it that when King Arther died his spirit left this world in the form of a Chough, with it's red beak and red legs it signified the his gruesome demise.
By the turn of the 18th Century, naturalists of the time had already noticed a dip in the chough population and in 1947 the last remaining couple set up nest just outside of Newquay on the North Coast of Cornwall. Sadly, one of the birds died and it's partner patrolled the cliffs on it's own until 1973. From then onwards choughs were no longer seen in the wild -until 2001. In spring of 2001 3 wild choughs landed at the Lizard and stayed. The chough population from then onwards has grown stronger and stronger and in 2012five pairs fledged 18 young,  a record. Choughs back where they belong, 21st century emblems for Cornwall.
Emma Glew, one of our despatch team was lucky enough to catch sight of these beautiful birds in the wild and managed to take some stunning shots of the bird in it's natural habitat -all the images you can see were taken by her, stunning!

For more information on the birds and how you can help why not contact  the below:
RSPB South West Regional OfficeKeble House, Southernhay Gardens, Exeter EX1 1NT 
Tel: 01392 453775

The National Trust
Nature Conservation Adviser, Lanhydrock, Cornwall PL30 4DE 
Tel: 01208 74281 
  
Natural England
Cornwall & Isles of Scilly Team,  Pydar House, Pydar Street, Truro, Cornwall, TR1 1XU Tel: 01872 245045