Operation Chough Nest Cameras 2025

We are breeding Red-billed Choughs as part of our long-term project to conserve and expand the species, which has been pushed to the fringes of its former distribution.

This year we have eight breeding pairs. There are five pairs in our seclusion aviaries, a pair in each of the large polytunnel aviaries, and one pair in our original chough breeding aviary in the public area of the park.

Our choughs are in great demand as there are exciting new developments for chough conservation underway. This could lead to releases, along with habitat restoration projects, in the UK in the next few years.

We monitor all the nests and choose one to show, depending on the activity going on at any particular time.

 

At night, they switch to infra-red so the birds can be seen roosting, incubating eggs or brooding chicks 24 hours a day.

As well as images, there is also sound from the nests. We find this helpful to hear newly-hatched chicks, and hear if the adults are doing their ‘feeding call’. This call is needed early on, as the chicks don’t open their eyes for a few days, so need an audible signal to open their mouths at the right time.