For the first time in more than 200 years, a red-billed chough chick has taken flight in Kent in Southeast England — a "remarkable milestone," according to Wildwood Trust, for a species that had long vanished from the county.
The chick, which fledged last month from a nest discovered earlier this spring at Dover Castle, represents the first successful wild birth and flight in the region since the birds disappeared in the 18th century, according to the BBC.
"This is a moment we've all been hoping for," Liz Corry, supervisor of the chough's release at Wildwood Trust, said in the announcement. "To see a wild chick not only hatch but fledge and take to the sky is a major step forward to the species re-establishing itself naturally in the region."
Once a thriving presence across Kent, the red-billed chough was driven out by habitat loss and harassment. Their return is thanks to a carefully managed reintroduction program led by Wildwood Trust and Paradise Park, launched just three years ago. The initiative is part of a five-year plan to release up to 50 choughs in southeast England, with support from conservation partners across the U.K.
A chick also hatched in the summer of 2024, but the trust said it "unfortunately went missing during strong winds and hasn't been seen since early July," according to separate reporting from the BBC.
Similar conservation efforts have seen success with the South African population of the white-winged flufftail, the nightjar in the U.K., and the piping plover in the United States, to name a few.
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The program in Kent is also helping revive chalk grassland habitats — rare ecosystems that benefit local communities by preventing soil erosion, protecting water supplies, and supporting pollinators essential for food production.
As Paul Hadaway of the Kent Wildlife Trust explained to the BBC, "A thriving chough population in Kent not only revives a lost species but it proves the value of restoring rare and vital habitats like chalk grassland."
The bird's return also holds cultural importance, according to the publication. The chough is featured on Canterbury's coat of arms, and Kentish legend links its vivid red legs and beak to the martyrdom of Archbishop Thomas Becket. For residents, the sight of the bird soaring again above the White Cliffs is a reminder of the region's deep history — and a hopeful sign for its ecological future.
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