Alpine chough on a rock in autumn in Dolomites. Italy, Europe. cover photo - 313433960

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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. This bird has glossy black plumage, a yellow beak, red legs, and distinctive calls. It has a buoyant acrobatic flight with widely spread flight feathers. The Alpine chough pairs for life and displays fidelity to its breeding site, which is usually a cave or crevice in a cliff face. In the summer, the Alpine chough feeds mainly on invertebrates collected from pasture, such as beetles, snails, grasshoppers, caterpillars and fly larvae. The diet in autumn, winter and early spring becomes mainly fruit, including berries, rose hips, and domesticated crops such as apples, grapes and pears where available. It has been observed eating flowers of Crocus vernus albiflorus, including the pistils, perhaps as a source of carotenoids. The chough will readily supplement its winter diet with food provided by tourist activities in mountain regions, including ski resorts, refuse dumps and picnic areas.

alpine chough yellowbilled pyrrhocorax graculus bird crow family species genus glossy black plumage yellow beak red legs distinctive calls buoyant acrobatic flight spread feathers pairs life fidelity breeding site cave crevice cliff face summer feeds invertebrates pasture beetles snails grasshoppers caterpillars fly larvae diet autumn fruit berries rose hips domesticated crops apples grapes pears flowers crocus vernus albiflorus pistils source carotenoids supplement food tourist activities mountain regions ski resorts dumps picnic areas