Record-breaking number of Cornish choughs born in 'conservation success story'

• Watch Will Charley's report

There has been a record-breaking number of Cornish choughs born in a "conservation success story".

More than 100 birds have been recorded for the first time, after they completely disappeared in the 1970s.

Often called 'the bird of Cornwall', changes in agricultural practices left the animal with nowhere to roost or breed.

This caused the population to go extinct in the area, while no new chick was born for five decades.

But following conservation efforts by multiple organisations across West Cornwall, numbers of the red-billed chough are bouncing back.

Wildlife experts say at least 112 baby choughs have been born from 39 successful pairs this year - a rise of 60%, up from 71 young from 25 successful pairs last year.

Hilary Mitchell, from Cornwall Birds, has spent a decade monitoring and protecting Cornish Chough sites.

Reacting to the rise in chicks, Hilary said: "It's just been absolutely amazing this year. If you go back to 2013, we only had 14 chicks fledged, so it's a massive, massive increase."

She added: "It is so special when you walk along the cliffs and you hear them. Or see them. And to be a part of protecting them, of helping them recolonise, and recolonise somewhere they should be.

"You know, if you can do something to make that different, to help the birds, then you just think you ought to."

The bird faced huge challenges during the middle of the 20th century when farmers moved their grazing animals away from the coastal strip along West Cornwall.

This led to grasses growing tall and preventing the birds from being able to access the soil beneath.

But a partnership between the RSPB, the National Trust, Cornwall Birds, Natural England and volunteers, since a pair returned and bred in 2002, has seen the species go from strength to strength.

Kate Evans, an officer at the National Trust, said they have worked with farmers to bring grazing animals back to the coast.

Kate said: "We've been getting the right land management in place, so getting that grazing out on the cliffs.

"We've been monitoring the number of choughs on our land, to monitor the nmber of chicks that they have each year, and then sharing this great news and celebrating the success."

As well as working with landowners, many volunteers have spent long hours working in all weathers to monitor and protect nesting sites.

They believe that the resurgence of the chough could create a path to boost other declining species.

Hilary said: "What it shows is if you do make the effort, if you put the work into conservation, if you understand the species, if you understand it's habitat requirements, it shows you what can be done.

"It's a huge success story, I mean it's a conservation success story," she added.

The hope among those tracking the bird is that there will now be enough of the species for some to spread to Devon, and in time that they may even link up with chough communities in Brittany, Ireland and Wales.