Choughs in the urban jungle

I've always been amazed by the ability of a flock (or more than one flock) of Choughs to persist in the Canberra College/Irvine Street area north of Woden.

On my way to work today I saw a fledgling Chough nestled at the foot of a tree right next to busy Launceston Street. It could obviously walk as there was no nest anywhere around for it to have fallen out of. The others had crossed the street (to the Hellenic Club carpark) and were bringing it back bits of food. They were weaving in and out of traffic (on foot and flying) and getting hooting at. There wasn't anything I could usefully do so I left after a few minutes of observation, thinking that here was situation that was going to end badly.

I don't know whether the adults were going to try and get the chick to cross the road, or would turn around and go back north, but I suppose in natural habitats they face similar problems coming to creeks and steep slopes.

John Leonard