Chough news
Follow along the updates of the red-billed chough reintroduction programme, co-led by Wildwood Trust and Kent Wildlife Trust in partnership with Paradise Park.
Our latest Chough blog posts
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![Red Bill Chough 1 Credit Wildwood Trust]()
A record summer for Kent’s returning choughs!
11th Sept 2026
Eight wild-born red-billed chough chicks have fledged in Kent as the species continues its remarkable comeback, with the population now reaching 35 birds. -
![Chough X3]()
Preparing the Next Generation of Choughs
3rd Jun 2026
Discover how Wildwood prepares red-billed chough chicks for release into the wild, helping restore this iconic species to the Kent coast in 2026. -
![Chough Chick Sup Feed With Parents Credit Liz Corry Wildwood Trust]()
We're chuffed to see Kent's first wild-born chough in over 200 years
16th Aug 2025
Summer 2025 marks a historic landmark for Wildwood and our partners in our bid to return red-billed choughs to South-East England. For the first time in more than two centuries, -
![Chough Summer 2024 52 Tim Horton Kent Wildlife Trust]()
Chough chick fledges in Kent!
7th Aug 2025
Historic breakthrough as wild-born chough takes to the skies and thrives in Kent for the first time in over 200 years.
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![Chough Edit @Colin Wiltshire]()
The choughs spread their wings to reach Dover Castle
30th Oct 2023
The appearance of the chough at Dover Castle has given cause for all of those involved in the project to celebrate!
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![Chough Flying 1200X1200]()
Rare Red-Billed Choughs move to new Wildwood Devon home
4th Jan 2023
Iconic birds arrive at Wildwood Devon in hopes that they will be the answer to dwindling populations across Southern England.
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2022
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The first releases
![Choughs 1 Min Scaled]()
We built the release aviary in Dover and did a trial release in the spring. This was later than hoped due to several major delays with building supplies and the knock-on effect of the Covid pandemic.
With no birds in the wild for our birds to follow, we had to rely on “buddy following”. Among that first group, we know that three left the release site immediately. One returned that evening, but two flew east. It didn’t end well, with one getting electrocuted in a pylon and the other being trapped by staff and returned home to the aviary. Plans were put on hold until the following year.
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2023
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Fledglings at Dover Castle
We released our first creche-reared birds – five fledglings followed by the five one-year-olds housed at the release site over winter. Two went missing, but in October 2023, some of the released choughs were spotted around Dover Castle for the first time.
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2024
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The first wild chick
Two of the one-year-olds in the wild paired up and had the first wild chick. Sadly, it didn’t survive to fledging age, possibly due to bad weather.
Meanwhile, seven more creche-reared and six parent-reared birds were released.
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2025
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A wild-born chough makes history in Kent
The pair that nested in 2024 tried again in 2025 and had three chicks, one of which survived to become the first wild-reared chough in Kent for over two centuries!
One other pair built a nest in 2025, but unfortunately no chicks were seen.
Seven parent-reared chicks and four siblings from Camperdown Wildlife Park in Dundee were released that year. A group of four non-related, older birds was also released, but with no strong bonds within the group they all became overwhelmed and flew away. We know two perished due to fatal injuries likely caused by the local breeding peregrine pair.
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2026
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Eight wild-born chicks and a growing population
![Chough Group Credit Liz Corry Wildwood Trust]()
A landmark year for choughs in Kent! With eight wild-born chicks successfully fledging. This brings the total number of wild-born choughs to nine and the Kent population to around 35 birds.
The choughs are also beginning to expand their range, with regular sightings now being reported beyond Dover in areas including Thanet and Folkestone.
After more than 200 years, choughs are once again breeding and spreading across Kent – a huge milestone for the project and an exciting step towards a thriving, self-sustaining population.
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Nationally this Kent population will be the first in a series of planned chough reintroductions along the south coast of England acting as stepping stones to join up remaining isolated and fragmented populations.
These reintroductions will increase the numbers of chough in the British Isles as well as establishing new populations that will facilitate the movement of birds between colonies, making them more sustainable and resilient.
If you are able to support this groundbreaking project, please donate. All contributions make a real difference.
