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Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax

Photo by Jamie MacArthur.
Location: Lizard, Cornwall

[edit] Identification

This bird is a member of the crow family, Corvidae.

37-41 cm in length and has a 68-80 cm wingspan. It has black plumage, and the wings can appear green; its bill is long curved red, and it has red legs.

It has a loud, ringing call chee-ow.

[edit] Distribution

It breeds in Great Britain, the Isle of Man, Ireland, southern Europe and the Mediterranean basin, the Alps, and in mountainous country across central Asia, India and China. There is an isolated population in the Ethiopian highlands.

[edit] Taxonomy

[edit] Habitat

Cliffs.

[edit] Behaviour

Diet includes insects and terrestrial molluscs.

It builds its nests in cracks of caves or cliffs. The nests are built of roots and stems of plants such as heather or furze, and are lined with hair or wool. 3-6 eggs are laid in April-May.

[edit] External Links