Animalia Life
Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax
SUBFAMILY
Corvinae
TAXONOMY
Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax Linnaeus, 1758, England. Eight subspecies.
OTHER COMMON NAMES
English: Chough; French: Crave а bec rouge; German:
Alpenkrдhe; Spanish: Chova piquirroja.
PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS
14.04–15.6 in (36–40 cm); 9.97–13.3 oz (285–380 g). Plumage
is velvet-black with a slight bluish purple to greenish gloss on
the body; wings and tail are glossier. Slender, curved bill is red,
as are legs and feet.
DISTRIBUTION
Widespread in mountainous areas of central and western Asia.
Patchy
DISTRIBUTION
in Europe and northwest Africa.
HABITAT
Rocky, mountainous areas with adjacent animal pasture. Western
European populations use sea cliffs.
BEHAVIOR
Territorial during breeding season, but allows third adult in
territory. Highly gregarious at other times and roosts colonially
in caves or rock crevices.
FEEDING ECOLOGY AND DIET
Soil feeder on ants, beetles, worms, and other invertebrates.
Often finds food in animal dung.
REPRODUCTIVE BIOLOGY
Solitary nester, constructing stick and animal hair nest at back
of cave. Generally lays three to four eggs March through April.
Incubation 17–21 days; fledging 36–41 days.
CONSERVATION STATUS
Not threatened. Common in Asia, populations declining in Europe
following changes in land use.
SIGNIFICANCE TO HUMANS
None known.
Photo Gallery of - Red-billed chough
