A new report has highlighted a worrying drop in the population of choughs.
The 2025 Manx Chough Census, published by Manx BirdLife, recorded 121 breeding pairs on the Isle of Man.
This represents a 24% decline from the 160 pairs reported in the last census in 2014/15.
The report states: “This decline is particularly pronounced in the West and East of the island, while the South remains stable and inland nesting continues a gradual increase.”
The West experienced the most dramatic decline, falling from 31 pairs to just 16.
Nesting
The census also identified changing nesting patterns.
“Chough nesting patterns appear to be shifting, with increasing use of inland sites and man-made structures, suggesting possible habitat preference changes or adaptive behaviour,” it notes.
The use of man-made structures for nests increased from 19% to 31%.
The report recommends annual monitoring of selected sites, expansion of a colour-ringing scheme and continued flock counts.
It calls for further research into “land use change, grazing intensity, and climate effects” to determine the root causes of the decline.
“Improved data management and closer collaboration with landowners and conservation partners are key to safeguarding the Manx Chough population,” the report adds.
A coordinated count of non-breeding birds did not produce a reliable population estimate for 2025 due to incomplete coverage.
You can read the report here.