Alpine Chough - Sary Tumshuk Chokö Taan

Alpine chough (lat. Pyrrhocorax graculus) — a bird of the crow family.

Permanent residents of mountain ranges. It inhabits alpine meadows and exposed rocks in the mountainous regions of Eurasia and North Africa at altitudes from 1260 to 5000 m above sea level. They nest in small colonies on cliffs and precipices, and enjoy gathering in large flocks. A sighting of a flock of these birds near the summit of Everest not only indicates that they can fly even higher if necessary, but also confirms the thesis that this is the highest vertebrate organism in the world.

Very similar to the chough. Both have glossy black plumage. Up close, one can notice that the chough has a bright red, long, thin, downward-curved beak, while the alpine chough has a yellow beak that is significantly shorter. They are agile birds, with a light and fast flight.

In summer, they feed on insects, worms, and other invertebrates, while in winter they eat juniper berries and seeds of various plants. In search of food, they often visit ski resorts, where they hover around hotels and trash bins. They are not afraid of humans.

The alpine chough is a social monogamous bird, forming a mating bond for several years and staying with its partner even after the breeding season. They breed in isolated pairs starting in May.

The clutch usually contains 4–5 white speckled eggs, which are incubated solely by the female for 17–18 days. The chicks remain in the nest for more than a month, after which they continue to beg for food from the adults for a long time. Young choughs may have yellow and short beaks.

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