Since April 2019, Kent Wildlife Trust and Wildwood Trust have been preparing to release red-billed choughs back into the wild in Kent. This follows a 200 year absence from our county due to historical persecution and land-use change resulting in habitat loss.

In 2022, six choughs from Paradise Park in Cornwall joined the breeding programme at Wildwood Trust, increasing the number of breeding pairs from one to four. The Wildwood team supported the pairs and creche-reared chicks for release.

Towards the end of July 2022, these young birds moved to an aviary in a top secret location. A few days later, they were joined by parent-reared chicks from Paradise Park to form the first release group. The flock underwent pre-release health screening administered by the International Zoo Veterinary Group to ensure they were fit for release.

In autumn 2022, we began 'recall training' which involved the choughs leaving the aviary for short periods of time and being called back for food. This allowed the birds time to develop confidence and learn about their environment. Recall training will also enable our team to monitor the choughs' health after they are released.

During recall training, the birds explored along the east Kent coast and hinterland, foraging in stubble fields as you would expect wild choughs to do at this time of year, mixing with other corvids and exploring potential roost and nest sites.

In October, due to inclement weather and strong winds, the team made the decision to postpone the chough release until summer 2023. This decision was disappointing but the welfare of these charismatic birds is our top priority and we want to ensure that this project is a success.

The team learned a lot from this first set of recall training sessions and are very encouraged by the birds' ability to find forage and shelter in the wild. This will be important for planning future releases and ensuring the long-term success of this project.