Main photograph by David Dinsley

Once a familiar sight across the British Isles, the red-billed chough (Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax) is now on the brink of disappearing from Scotland. Today, fewer than 50 breeding pairs remain, confined to the Isles of Islay and Colonsay. Without urgent action, these iconic birds could vanish within the next 50 years.

Recognising this crisis, the species has been added to the Scottish Biodiversity List, marking it as a priority for conservation. 

A Feasibility Study for Reinforcement

To address this decline, Argyll Countryside Trust (ACT) and the Scottish Chough Forum (SCF) commissioned the Zoological Society of London’s Conservation Decisions Hub to explore options for population reinforcement. Supported by the Scottish Government’s Nature Restoration Fund, managed by NatureScot, the study combined the structured decision-making process, insights from successful reintroductions and preliminary risk assessments.

Read the Feasibility Study

Deb Baker, ACT Operations Manager, explains:
“This report will help inform future conservation efforts for Scotland’s red-billed chough, and ACT is pleased to make it publicly available.”

What is threatening Chough in Scotland?

The main challenge lies in poor survival rates during the first two years after fledging. Young birds are struggling due to: 

• Habitat degradation
• Changes in agricultural practices
• Seasonal food shortages

Current measures, such as supplementary feeding, parasite treatment, and habitat management, are helping maintain the population, but they’re not enough. Additional threats include:

• Parasite burdens
• Reduced genetic diversity
• Inbreeding-related conditions, such as chick blindness

What’s Next?

Studies show a lack of natural gene flow into Scotland’s chough population. Genetic reinforcement, introducing birds from stable donor populations or captive breeding programs, is critical to long-term survival. Lessons from successful UK and Channel Islands projects highlight the importance of careful planning.

The SCF welcomes the Chough Reinforcement Feasibility Report and thanks ACT and the Nature Restoration Fund for making this work possible. But the message is clear: current efforts alone won’t save the species.

As a spokesperson for SCF explains:

"The Forum considers that two urgent, interconnected interventions must now proceed: securing appropriate management of key chough feeding areas and boosting the genetic health of the population through the introduction of new, genetically diverse individuals. We are now actively identifying potential partners and funding sources to support us to continue vital chough conservation efforts in Scotland."