The Dawn Chorus is not the only ornithological treat we have in store for Mooney Goes Wild fans this May Bank Holiday weekend. On Monday 6th May, in a special collaboration with conservation rangers from the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS), we will give RTÉ Radio One listeners an unprecedented opportunity to get up close and personal with one of Ireland's most fascinating yet least well-known birds, the Chough.
Despite its playful and inquisitive nature, dazzling flying prowess and beautiful appearance, the Chough is not a familiar bird to most people in Ireland. Our live ChoughWatch broadcast aims to change all that, as our team experts Eric Dempsey,
Niall Hatch and Jim Wilson report live from two Chough nest-sites at secret locations in the southwest of the country. Thanks to the NPWS project team lead by Conservation ranger Clare Heardman we will also be streaming live video footage of both nests on the programme’s website, https://rte.ie/mooneygoeswild
Links to Live Stream
Mizen Head Pair
Clonakilty Pair
The Chough is a member of the crow family, as even a quick glance at one of these glossy black birds would suggest, but it is a crow that is unlike any other.
Supremely aerobatic and boasting an array of exhilarating calls, in Ireland it is restricted to select parts of our southern, western and northern coasts.
It can easily be distinguished from our other, more familiar members of the crow family by its long, red, down-curved beak and vivid red legs. Indeed, the Irish name for the species, Cág Cosdearg, translates as "Red-legged Jackdaw", a very apt description.
The Chough is sometimes called the "Celtic Crow", as its distribution in Europe is quite remarkably linked to the modern Celtic nations. The south and west coasts of Ireland are one of its key strongholds, and it is also found in Co. Antrim in Northern Ireland. In addition, it occurs in western Scotland, along the Welsh coast, on the Isle of Man, in Cornwall (the only place in England where it can be found, it is the Cornish national bird and appears in Cornwall’s coat of arms) and in Brittany in northern France.
So, if you have ever wanted to know more about one of Ireland’s most interesting and charismatic wild creatures, enjoy sneak peeks into the normally hidden world of nesting birds or simply have a fondness for crows, be sure to tune into Nature on One - ChoughWatch LIVE on RTÉ Radio One at 15:00-16:00 on Bank Holiday Monday, 6th May 2024.