Choughs

Choughs are a member of the crow family, they are only found on the extreme Western and rocky coasts of the UK.

Male and females are both similar in appearance, black bodied like crows with a red/brown/orange beak. Moreover their feet are oddly very different from the rest of the crow family of birds.

Anglesey is one of the last bastions of Chough habitat that has breeding pairs of these now rare birds. They can be found year round on the cliffs around South Stack and areas local to it. They nest on the high cliffs in nooks and cranny’s on the cliff face, sometimes just inside small caves or even tall buildings at times.

On occasion they will also form small flocks in winter when flying around the area. They can often be seen at times performing acrobatics as they are very nimble flyers. Great fun to watch.

Ellins tower on the South Stack RSPB reserve is a great place to spot them from or at the various viewing points. Try walking down the stairs to the lighthouse as this also give great views of the birds, Puffins too April to July.

Best place to view them is here, RSPB Visitor centre, Holyhead LL65 1YH