RED-BILLED CHOUGH.
PYRRHOCORAX GRACULUS (Linn.).
Corvus graculus, Linn. S. N. i. p. 158 (1766); Naum. ii.
p. 114.
Fregilus graculus, Macg. i. p. 587; Hewitson, i. p. 218.
Pyrrhocorax graculus, Yarr. ed. 4, ii. p. 252; Dresser, iv.
p. 437.
Crave, French ; Stein-Krähe, German; - Chova, Choya,
Grajilla, Spanish.
The Chough, in spite of the high prices given for the
young birds, still holds its own on certain parts of our
coasts, its habit of nesting in the crannies and fissures
of precipitous sea-cliffs being greatly in favour of the
preservation of its species. This bird is almost exclusively
insectivoi'ous, and its great beauty and harmless
habits should ensure to it the protection of man.
Choughs reared by hand from the nest become
exceedingly tame, and once accustomed to any given
locality, may be allowed complete liberty; indeed I have
found that they will not thrive for any length of time
unless permitted to roam at will. The flight of this
species is remarkably buoyant and graceful, and differs
remarkably from that of the true Crows. I never saw
any one of the many tame Choughs that have had their
liberty at Lilford alight on a tree or bush; they kept
entirely to the top of the house and the stone balustrades
that surround the flower-garden as perching and
roosting-places, and preferred the gravel-walks to the
turf for their promenades, and very frequently made use
of my head, arms, and shoulders as means of carriage to
their favourite bathing-place on a pebbly shelf of our
river-bank.
Pyrrhocorax graculus (Linn.)