Chough
Surfbirds News: RSPB Archives
RSPB NI are excited to announce that the rarest bird in Northern Ireland – the chough - has successfully boosted its numbers by three, after three chicks hatched on Rathlin island.
Liam McFaul, RSPB Warden at Rathlin said, 'We are obviously delighted that the only breeding pair of chough in Northern Ireland have now become a fully fledged family.
'After a shaky start, the 'choughlets' seem healthy and happy to be free from their cramped cliff ledge, begging and feeding from their parents along the Rathlin cliffs and flying off to explore as a family party of five.
Chough, copyright Pete Hadfield
'There is much excitement on Rathlin as these are the first 'choughlets' born on the island since 1989, when a solitary chick was born. In the intervening period, we were seriously concerned for the survival of the species, and whilst this is great news the next few months will be critical. Threats from predators and poor habitat management could place the birds in danger.
'We have been working over this past number of years, at times when we wondered if we would ever see choughs breed again on Rathlin, to ensure that the land was fit for the breeding pair. Choughs require a short sward grass on the cliff and adjacent fields to feed on small insects and hopefully our persistence has paid off.
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