Alpine Chough

The Alpine Chough or yellow-billed chough (Pyrrhocorax graculus) is a bird in the crow family, one of only two species in the genus Pyrrhocorax. Its two subspecies can breed at higher altitudes than any other bird because they breed in high mountains from Spain eastward through southern Europe and north Africa to Central Asia and Nepal. The eggs' adjustments to the thin air enhance oxygen uptake and lessen water loss.

The shiny black feathers, yellow beak, red legs, and unusual sounds of this bird all stand out. It flies buoyantly and acrobatically, its flight feathers spread out. The breeding site for Alpine choughs, which is typically a cave or crevice in a cliff face, is where they form lifelong relationships and show loyalty. It constructs a lined stick nest and lays three to five pale eggs with brown blotches. It forages on short-grazed grassland, frequently in flocks, mostly consuming invertebrate prey in the summer and fruit in the winter. It quickly approaches tourist attractions in search of more food.