A record number of choughs have been recorded along the Cornish coastline this summer, indicating the breed is in "robust health," according to a bird conservation charity.
RSPB England reported a count of 161 choughs in Cornwall, which is 32 more than the 129 recorded in 2025. These new birds originated from 56 successful breeding pairs, with an average of three fledglings per nest.
Choughs, which had died out in Cornwall in the 1970s, returned in 2001 when three birds, believed to be from Ireland, landed at Lizard Point and initiated the repopulation. The Lizard peninsula remains a primary breeding ground, with 26 chicks emerging from eight nests this year, an increase of 11 from 2025.
Lydia Allt, a National Trust volunteer, described 2026 as "an exceptional one" for choughs across Cornwall. She attributed the recovery to 25 years of conservation efforts, partnership working, and support from local farmers and land managers.