An Alpine Chough on the summit of the Schafgafall above the Lünersee in the Rätikon. The bird was really not shy and came close to me. Maybe the black buddy wanted me to share my food with him...

#birds #alpinechough #rätikon #alps

— alpine chough in flight

🇬🇧 Caught in flight on a cold, foggy day in Switzerland, this alpine chough bravely faced the bad weather. Known for its glossy black feathers and bright yellow beak, this bird is perfectly suited to high altitudes. They are often seen near cliffs and mountain peaks, foraging and playing in the strong winds. Even on a misty day like this, it’s a fun sight to watch them soar at the impressive heights.

🇳🇱 Op een koude, mistige dag trotseerde deze alpenkauw dapper het slechte weer. De vogel met zijn glanzende zwarte veren en felgele snavel is perfect aangepast aan het leven op grote hoogtes. Ze leven bij kliffen en bergtoppen, waar ze foerageren en lijken te spelen met de harde wind. Zelfs op een mistige dag als deze was het een mooi gezicht om ze rond de bergtoppen te zien zweven.

📷 10/2024
📍 Switzerland
🏷️ Alpine Chough // Alpenkauw // Pyrrhocorax graculus
📷 @canonnederland R5 // RF 100-500mm
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#switzerland #swissalps #schweiz #schweizeralpen #alpinechough #alpendohle #alpenkauw #birdphotography #naturelovers #birdwatching #naturephotography #vogelfotografie #zoomnl #cameranu_nl

Alpine chough - Pyrrhocorax graculus

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 breed in high mountains from Spain eastwards through southern Europe and North Africa to Central Asia and Nepal, and it may nest at a higher altitude than any other bird. The eggs have adaptations to the thin atmosphere that improve oxygen take-up and reduce water loss.

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. It builds a lined stick nest and lays three to five brown-blotched whitish eggs. It feeds, usually in flocks, on short grazed grassland, taking mainly invertebrate prey in summer and fruit in winter; it will readily approach tourist sites to find supplementary food.

Although it is subject to predation and parasitism, and changes in agricultural practices have caused local population declines, this widespread and abundant species is not threatened globally. Climate change may present a long-term threat, by shifting the necessary Alpine habitat to higher altitudes. (Text Source: Wikipedia)

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