Yellow-billed Chough, in the Julian Alps

Last update: 10 February 2026

Another lifer from last month’s visit to Slovenia: this Yellow-billed Chough (Pyrrhocorax graculus), one from a flock of several dozen that  apparently rested for an hour or so in Kranjska Gora (altitude 800m/ 2,625ft), the country’s main gateway town to the Julian Alps.

From a distance, they appear similar to other corvids like Jackdaws or Crows, but they’re bigger than the former and smaller than the latter. And once their bright yellow beak and orange legs and feet come into clear view, it’s crystal clear that they are something else entirely. (And that something else is not the Eurasian Blackbird, whose beak is similar in color, but is much smaller and won’t be seen in such large groups – in such alpine settings or elsewhere.)

The flock I saw numbered at least 70 to 80, dispersed among a handful of rooftops that framed an intersection at the eastern edge of town near the Pišnica River, a tributary of the Sava Dolinka River which feeds into the Sava, Slovenia’s longest river. They lingered for a bit, gliding back and forth between the rooftops. About 20 minutes later I watched the flock move west then north towards the higher peaks of the Karavanke Alps that form the border with Austria.

They’re common throughout the Alps at altitudes above 1500m (4,921ft) and said to be friendly and sociable with humans, happy to eat from the palm of a hand. I’ll be in the southern French Alps later this month, back in Kranjska Gora for a week and in the Dolomites for a few days in February, so may extend my hand if we cross paths again.

Flock of Yellow-billed Chough, Kranjska Gora, Slovenia, 9 February 2026

Yellow-billed Chough in brief (with assist from WordPress AI but double-checked by me at Birds of the World and Wikipedia):

• Size: Length: 34-36 cm (13.4-14.2 in); Wingspan: 62-74 cm (24.4-29.1 in)
• Diet: Primarily insectivorous, feeding on insects, larvae, and seeds.
• Habitat: Prefers open mountainous areas, grasslands, and alpine meadows.
• Physical Description: Glossy black plumage; distinctive yellow bill; long, curved wings; and a slightly forked tail.
• Breeding: Nests in rocky crevices or cliff ledges; lays 3-6 eggs; may have a breeding display involving aerial acrobatics.
• Conservation Status: Listed as Least Concern by the IUCN, though habitat loss and climate change are potential threats.
• Unique Behaviors: Known for its playful behavior, including rolling stones and playing with other objects; displays strong social bonds within flocks.
• Range and Migration: Found in and usually thrive at higher altitudes in mountain ranges across Eurasia; migratory in some regions, with seasonal movements influenced by weather and food availability.

Links for further reference:

• Yellow-billed Chough at Birds of the World
• Yellow-billed Chough at BirdLife DataZone
• Yellow-billed Chough at eBird
• Yellow-billed Chough at Avibase
• Yellow-billed Chough at Wikipedia
• Yellow-billed Chough at iNaturalist

Photos from 23 December 2025 and 9 February 2026. Post last updated on 10 February 2026.

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Added to the Bird of the Week post hosted by I.J on his site Don’t Hold Your Breath.

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