For over 200 years the Red-billed chough has been missing from Kent, but together Kent Wildlife Trust and Wildwood Trust are working to reintroduce this magnificent bird to the cliffs of Dover.

Despite once being a common sight on the coasts of Kent and across England, chough populations have plummeted to only 23 pairs today. Intensification of farming has reduced viable habitat and with it the specialist diet of insects these birds feed on. Historic persecution has also whittled down their numbers. We know chough were once abundant here from historical records and literature. They are depicted on the Canterbury coat of arms and in the story of Thomas Becket’s murder.

Choughs are unlike other corvids and have quite specific habitat requirements. They like to nest on cliffs to remain safe from predators, and they also require insect-rich grassland to forage for food. Dover is well known for its cliffs, but what the cliffs are made of is also very important for chough. Chalk grassland is an incredibly rare habitat, with 50% of all global chalk grassland being located in England. It has one of Western Europe's most diverse plant communities and also exceptionally high insect biodiversity.

The reintroduction of the chough will drive the restoration of this and other important habitats along our coastline which will benefit the recovery of other wildlife. Now, it is more important than ever to return missing species and the complex habitats on which they depend.

In July 2023, the first birds in over 200 years were released into the skies of Kent. As of summer 2024, there are clear signs that the once-extinct red-billed chough will thrive again in the South East. Less than a year on from their release, and following the emergence of a breeding pair, the first wild chick for generations was hatched at Dover Castle. The chick fledged successfully in June but unfortunately went missing during strong winds and hasn’t been seen since early July. Still, the birth is a milestone we didn’t expect to hit so early by any means.

Unfortunately, funding for this project runs out in March 2025 but the project doesn't end there. We need your help to make sure we can continue to release chough to Kent.