The Return of the Cornish Chough
An illustrated talk by Claire Mucklow – Cornwall Chough Project Officer
There had always been choughs in Cornwall. The first reliable recording of their presence dates back to 1640, but surely they were living there long before that time. Myths and legends about these charismatic members of the crow family abound – it is even said that the soul of King Arthur departed this life in the form of a chough, whose red bill and legs symbolised his bloody end. Certainly the chough has a special meaning for the people of Cornwall; it appears on the Cornwall County Council coat of arms, on the Tamar bridge, on numerous pub signs, and is celebrated in Cornish prose and poetry.
But by the end of the 18th century naturalists began to notice that the numbers of chough in the county were declining, probably due to the depredations of sportsmen and trophy hunters, and the fact that farmers often regarded them as vermin. The degradation of their heathland and grazed clifftop habitat also played a part. By 1973 the last Cornish chough had gone.
Gone, but not forgotten. By 1993 the success of the breeding colonies along the Pembrokeshire coast had inspired Cornish conservationists to start recreating the choughs’ ideal habitat of short, open flower-rich grassland. Using government-funded agri-environment schemes coastal scrub management was re-introduced, and many landowners including the National Trust started putting cattle and ponies back on the cliff tops at sites where choughs had bred in the past.
In early April 2001 three choughs were seen at the Lizard, possibly young birds from Brittany. At that time Foot and Mouth restrictions prevented access to the coastal paths for observation, but as soon as these were lifted RSPB staff and local birdwatchers began monitoring the young choughs’ progress. Two of the birds did some experimental nest building, and all three birds remained into the winter.
In January 2002 the RSPB, the National Trust, English Nature and Defra formed a partnership called The Cornwall Chough Project. Their aims were to consolidate conservation work already taking place, to restore more suitable habitat elsewhere in the county, and to monitor the behaviour and protect any nesting attempts of wild choughs in Cornwall.
In spring that year, the two birds nested in a cave down at Lizard point. Incubation started in April, and a round-the-clock watch was maintained at the site by local volunteers and RSPB and National Trust members to protect the nest from disturbance by members of the public or attention from egg collectors. Three chicks were successfully raised and took to the skies in June. In 2003 the pair nested again at the same site. In May, while the parents were busy flying in and out of the cave with food for their three chicks, a gathering of the Project partners, farmers and volunteers held a party to celebrate the first birthday of the previous year’s offspring.
By now the presence of the choughs had attracted huge numbers of visitors down to the Lizard. Volunteer wardens were in attendance with binoculars, telescopes and information, and the RSPB were organising guided walks along the cliff paths. This year, five chicks have hatched.
The Cornwall Chough Project partners are optimistic for the future of choughs on the Lizard. They will continue to work with local farmers and residents to ensure that optimum conditions for the birds are maintained. The partnership is extending its work with landowners to other parts of the Cornish coast to encourage the pioneering population to expand. Our very good wishes go with them. The spirit of King Arthur has returned to Cornwall.
Marguerite Tait