CHOUGHS

CHOUGHS, black, crow-like birds of Europe and Asia or Australia. In Europe and Asia there are two species of chough of the crow family, Corvidae: in Australia there is one species of chough in the mud-nest building family, Grallinidae.

The Cornish chough, Pyrrhocorax pyrrho- corax, was formeriy much more common. Apart from its rarity in the Alps, its European distribution is the same as that of the Alpine chough P. graculus, that is the mountainous regions from the Iberian Peninsula and the Atlas in the west to China in the east.

Both species are about 15 in (38 cm) long and have red legs, but the bill of the chough is long, curved and red, while that of the Alpine chough is shorter, less curved and yellow. Both are aerial experts able to take full advantage of the updraughts and other air movements so typical of their habitat. They breed in cliffs, caves and rock crevices (including those in large stone buildings) and feed on insects and other invertebrates.

The Australian bird, also called chough, is the White-winged chough Corcorax melanor- hampus, 17-18 in (43-45 cm) long. Its English name derives from its similarity to the European choughs-black plumage (but with a white patch on the wing) and strong, though slender decurved bill. FAMILIES: Corvidae and Grallinidae respectively, ORDER: Passeri- formes, CLASS: Aves.