Corvids
Red-billed Chough / Cág cosdearg
What?
Covered in mostly black feathers, corvids are members of the crow family, and they can be found almost everywhere on Iveragh. While several corvid species are found along farmlands and urban areas, Ravens (Fiach dubh) and Choughs (Cág cosdearg) prefer more rural and wild places, such as mountainous uplands and sheep-grazed pastures along coastal cliffs.
Who?
Even though corvids share similar features, such as their black feather-dresses, some can be easily distinguished from the rest. One of those is the Red-billed Chough. As their name indicates, they have a brightly red coloured, slender, long, downcurved beak and red legs. Another give away is their very distinct, high-pitched ‘keee-awww’ call. The Chough call stands in stark contrast to the large repertoire of deep voiced Raven calls. But that is not the only thing that makes Ravens stand out. Being the largest in the corvid family, they also display the most impressive aerial acrobatics including the spectacular flight inversion where they twist upside down mid-air.
When?
Choughs sometimes move seasonally between foraging and breeding grounds but other corvids tend to gather in large flocks (roosts), including during the breeding season. What all corvids have in common is that they stay on Iveragh all year-round, making them fun to observe no matter when you visit the peninsula.
Choughs (plus some Starlings and a Turnstone)
