Species:

Red-billed Chough (Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax)

Glossy Ibis (Plegadis falcinellus)

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Length (cm):
39-40
55-65
Wingspan (cm):
73-90
80-95
Weight (gram):
260-350
530-768
Size group:
Crow-size
Crow-size
Main Texts:
Appearance:

All black plumage, red legs and long, curved, red bill. Bill of juveniles yellowish-brown and shorter. Though never as pure yellow as in Alpine Chough, and more curved. Easily confused with Alpine Chough at a distance where both species occur, but note broader, more fingered wings, shorter and squarer tail with broader base and different calls. Flight extremely acrobatic.

Sound:

Call: A rapidly descending "keeaaaw", sometimes resembling a coarse jackdaw. At other times a more mewing sound, with similar coarseness, or a sharper, descending "kieew". Easily distinguished from the thin, trilling, whistling sounds of Alpine Chough.

Contact call:

Error loading Flash for sound!
See sound file


Distribution:

Wikipedia: map (se also Xeno-canto below)

Ecology:

Birdlife ecology

Links:

Observation.org Latest observations

Video IBC

Image search Flickr NB! May give other species

Sound search at Xeno-canto

Featherbase

CC

Appearance:

Resembles a big, black Curlew, but can only be confused with Bald Ibis. Differs from this by longer, slender neck, rounded and feathered head, long legs (trailing in flight) and heavier bill. Bare parts greyish, not red. Adults with glossy green wings. Immatures and birds in winter plumage with white-speckled head and neck. Head and legs droops slightly below horizontal plane in flight, leaving a "hunched" impression. Wing beats faster than herons of same size. May glide longer distances, but does not soar like Bald Ibis. Flight formation loose, diagonal or in single file with undulating movements.

Sound:

Generally silent away from breeding ground. Dry, crow-like "garr garr", may be heard occasionally in flight. At breeding ground various guttural grunts, and piping, hissing sounds.

Flightcall:

Error loading Flash for sound!
See sound file


Distribution:

Wikipedia: map (se also Xeno-canto below)

Ecology:

Birdlife ecology

Links:

Observation.org Latest observations

Video IBC

Image search Flickr NB! May give other species

Sound search at Xeno-canto

Featherbase

CC

CC-sound:Stanislas Wroza, Licence,Link.

Similar species (image):
Similar species (sound):
Silhouette Group:
Crow-like
Silhouette
Heron-like
Silhouette
Several different images of the species
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Several different sounds of the species
Error loading Flash for sound!
See sound file