Rare bird seen flying above Kent for first time in 200 years

The nest where this chick was born was found at Dover Castle earlier this year

A rare bird has been seen taking to the skies above Kent for the first time in 200 years.

Red-billed choughs are native to the UK and are a member of the crow family.

Once a thriving species in Kent, the birds vanished from the county as a result of habitat loss and hunting.

A reintroduction programme has been helping to rear and release chicks with the hope of growing their numbers.

Now, a young red-billed chough has successfully taken flight from a nest in the wild for the first time in more than two centuries, conservationists have said.

Wildwood Trust's Liz Corry, supervisor of the chough's release, said: "This is a moment we've all been hoping for, 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."

This is because being able to fly means the chick has reached what is called the fledging stage, by developing wing feathers that are large enough for flight.

Liz said that seeing this chick "confirms that the birds are finding suitable nesting habitat, and pairing up to raise young - exactly what we've been working towards."

The rare birds are found on grassland and heath with short vegetation, with most making their nests on the sides of cliffs.

This chick born in a nest at Dover Castle, seems to be thriving.

The red-billed chough has strong cultural links with Kent and its history, with an image of it even appearing in Canterbury's coat of arms

There is a five-year plan to introduce up to 50 birds in the South East, said the Wildwood Trust.

It said it had been working to create ideal conditions for choughs to forage and breed, such as chalk grassland habitat in East Kent, with a wide range of wildflowers and insects for them to feed on.

Paul Hadaway, director of conservation and engagement at Kent Wildlife Trust, said: "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 red-billed chough has strong links to Kent, as they are featured on the coat of arms of Canterbury.