Species:

Alpine Chough (Pyrrhocorax graculus)

Dunnock (Prunella modularis)

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Length (cm):
38-38
14-14
Wingspan (cm):
75-85
19-21
Weight (gram):
188-252
16-25
Size group:
Crow-size
Sparrow-size
Main Texts:
Appearance:

All black plumage, red legs and relatively short and straight, yellow bill. Note that immature Red-billed Chough has yellowish-brown bill, but never as pure yellow as in Alpine Chough, and the whole bill is curved. Easily confused with Red-billed Chough at a distance where both species occur, but note more narrow, less fingered wings, and longer, more rounded tail. Resembles Jackdaw in size, but flying Alpine Choughs differs by two-toned underparts of wings (darker coverts). Flight acrobatic, but a little more stilted than Red-billed Chough.

Sound:

Diagnostic and very different from Red-billed Chough. A sharp, quite high-pitched, whistling trill "chreeeee". Usually alternated with pure-toned high-pitched whistles, falling abruptly in pitch with a "clipping" ending.

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:

Sparrow-sized, brown and streaked passerine with slate-grey head and chest. Bill thin and warbler-like, head rounded. Narrow, pale wing-bars. Often forages on ground in a crouched manner, creeping or hopping with legs almost hidden. Flicks wings and tail when restless. Secretive behaviour, except when visiting feeders and when singing from tree tops.

Sound:

Contact call a dry, thick trill "trrr", and a short King Fisher-like, high-pitched "zeep". Song a fast and evenly paced, high pitched stream of clear notes. No consistent phrasing. Similar in timbre to Robin, but does not vary tempo or pitch nearly as much. Often compared to the sound of a squeaky wheelbarrow.

Song:

Error loading Flash for sound!
See sound file


Distribution:

Xeno-canto: map

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

Similar species (image):
Similar species (sound):
Silhouette Group:
Crow-like
Silhouette
Thrush-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
Error loading Flash for sound!
See sound file