Wildlifeof China
Alpine Chough
Crows, Drongos, Orioles & Shrikes
Photo: Günter Hildebrandt aka Hulle · CC BY-SA 3.0
Pyrrhocorax graculus
Basic stats
Habitat
High mountains, normally breeding at 1,260–2,880m; may nest higher than any other bird
Range
Mountains from Spain east through southern Europe and North Africa to Central Asia, the Himalayas and western China
Clutch size
3–5 brown-blotched whitish eggs
The Alpine chough, or yellow-billed chough, is a bird in the crow family and one of only two species in its genus. It has glossy black plumage, a short yellow bill, dark brown irises and red legs. Its two subspecies breed in high mountains from Spain east through southern Europe and North Africa to Central Asia, the Himalayas and western China, and it may nest at a higher altitude than any other bird (Wikipedia, general species account).
It builds a lined stick nest and lays three to five brown-blotched whitish eggs, which have adaptations to the thin atmosphere that improve oxygen uptake and reduce water loss. It pairs for life and has been observed following mountaineers ascending Mount Everest (Wikipedia, general species account).
Quick answers
- What habitat does the Alpine Chough live in?
- High mountains, normally breeding at 1,260–2,880m; may nest higher than any other bird
- Where is the Alpine Chough found?
- Mountains from Spain east through southern Europe and North Africa to Central Asia, the Himalayas and western China
- How many eggs does the Alpine Chough lay?
- 3–5 brown-blotched whitish eggs