Bird Guide

Alpine Chough vs Red-billed Chough

Alpine Chough (Pyrrhocorax graculus)

Alpine Chough

Pyrrhocorax graculus

Medium211 gRocky

The adult of the nominate subspecies of the Alpine chough has glossy black plumage, a short yellow bill, dark brown irises, and red legs. It is slightly smaller than the red-billed chough, at 37–39 centimetres (15–15 inches) length with a 12–14 cm (4.7–5.5 in) tail and a 75–85 cm (30–33 in) wingspan, but has a proportionally longer tail and shorter wings. It has a similar buoyant and easy flight. The sexes are identical in appearance, although the male averages slightly larger than the female. The juvenile is duller than the adult, with a dull yellow bill and brownish legs.

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Sonogram of the Alpine Chough
Recorded by Pascal Christe · Call · Kandersteg, Frutigen, Bern, Switzerland · CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Samuel Paitreault · CC BY 4.0
Red-billed Chough (Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax)

Red-billed Chough

Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax

Medium277 gRocky

The adult of the "nominate" subspecies of the red-billed chough, P. p. pyrrhocorax, is 39–40 centimetres (15–16 inches) in length, has a 73–90 centimetres (29–35 inches) wingspan, and weighs an average 310 grammes (10.9 oz). Its plumage is velvet-black, green-glossed on the body, and it has a long curved red bill and red legs. The sexes are similar (although adults can be sexed in the hand using a formula involving tarsus length and bill width) but the juvenile has an orange bill and pink legs until its first autumn, and less glossy plumage.

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Sonogram of the Red-billed Chough
Recorded by Carlo Fracasso · Call, duet · Roccamandolfi, Province of Isernia, Molise, Italy · CC0
Photo: fernium · CC BY 4.0

Where you might meet both

And 3 more countries.

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Photos and recordings are credited to their authors under the licence shown. Full profiles: Alpine Chough and Red-billed Chough.