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Natural Images |
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Red Billed Chough...Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax...Chova piquiroja |
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Entirely glossy blue black plumage with bright red legs and a red downward curving bill. Juveniles are duller with a yellowish bill that gradually turns dark orange.
The call is an explosive keeah similar to a jackdaws but higher pitched.
Breeding along rocky coasts, and mountains in southern Europe. A sociable bird residing in colonies (upwards of 50 pairs in the Garganta Verde of the sierra de Grazalema) |
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Broad wings in flight with primaries spread like fingers. Can often be seen performing acrobatic tumbling and plummeting especially during the breeding season.
One brood is raised from April to June with the nest comprising of twigs, roots and stems built in rock crevices, caves or on cliff ledges.
Diet consists of insects, grubs, worms, slugs and also grain. Large numbers can often be seen on open lowland foraging for food. |
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(The Alpine Chough Pyrrhocorax graculus is very similar but has a shorter less curved bill which is yellow. Breeds above the tree line in high mountains of southern Europe) |