One of the region's most celebrated birds has died in circumstances of truly Arthurian dimensions.
So shocked have Westcountry ornithologists been this week, that the demise of the rare bird inspired the woman in charge of the RSPB's Cornish Chough Project to declare: "The king is dead – long live the king!"
The story even has a gruesome and authentic swashbuckling twist, in that murder most foul – borne of craven sexual passion – lies at the heart of the tragedy.
Most people in the Westcountry will have heard of the famous pair of choughs which mysteriously turned up in Cornwall in 2001 and effectively reintroduced the county's bird after an absence of over 40 years.
After a season of experimental nest-building they went on to produce no fewer than 44 young during the intervening years in what has, basically, been a two-bird re-colonisation exercise.
This year they were producing and bringing up a brood at the Lizard, England's most southerly point – when a younger male bird arrived and decided he wanted to be king of the roost.
The RSPB's Cornwall projects manager, Claire Mucklow, said: "A volunteer witnessed two choughs locked in combat for the most part of a day and it appears that the new younger bird has probably ousted and killed the older male. It's the end of an era – and the loss of a very special bird.
"What a legacy that chough and his mate have left Cornwall, though. Since 2001 when they returned they have brought so much joy to those lucky enough to have spent time with them – and a real sense of Cornish pride enveloped them. The pair together successfully raised 44 chicks and many of those have gone on to breed themselves, securing a real future for choughs in Cornwall."
Just like an Arthurian legend of old, there has been an unexpected sting in the tail. It seems that the young male who so cruelly ousted the old king has taken over the job of helping to raise this year's chicks, despite the fact they're not his own – which is a unique first in chough behaviour, according to the experts.
"This is extraordinary, because normally a bird would have tried to kill the chicks which were not his," said Ms Mucklow. "The female who has invested so much time and effort raising this brood has accepted this new male and together they are feeding her chicks which are about two weeks old."
Altogether, Cornwall has 32 new baby wild coughs this year, despite often appalling weather during the nesting season. Ms Mucklow remains sentimental, though, when talking of the death of an individual which brought Cornwall's 'national bird' home to roost. "It's like losing an old friend," she said. "I spent 13 years of my life completely captivated by this bird – it's so sad."
