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Red-billed Chough

Using spatial ecology to develop a sustainable habitat management strategy for red-billed chough in Ireland


Project Overview

Despite a long term decline in range and numbers, important questions remain regarding whether existing protection measures are sufficient to support the red-billed chough (P.p.pyrrhocoraxlong-term conservation, particularly in relation to its non-breeding ecology. Given that Ireland supports more than 60% of the global population of this subspecies, it offers a unique chance to examine its habitat requirements.

This project uses GPS tracking to generate fine-scale movement data of wild individuals across the annual cycle for the first time. These data will be used to characterise foraging habitat selection and seasonal pattern in space use, including a focus on winter roosting ecology.
By improving our understanding of seasonal habitat requirements of the red-billed chough, this research aims to deliver evidence-based conservation actions and inform future habitat management. 
Red-billed Chough Fig 1. Adult chough (left) with two fledglings (colour-ringed, middle and right)

Supported By

UCC Ornithology Research Group

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School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, UCC North Mall Campus, North Mall, Cork City,

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