Page 371 - Complete Birds of Britain and Europe (DK - RSPB)

CROWS
Order Passeriformes Family Corvidae Species Corvus frugilegus
Rook peaked bill tapers
to point
crown
glossy black
wings more body
pointed than bare white skin face dark
around bill base
Carrion Crow’s at first
narrow,
rounded
tail
thin
bill

ADULT
IN FLIGHT

loose, ragged
rounded thigh feathers
tail
JUVENILE
ADULT
here common, the Rook is one of the familiar
Wbirds of farmland and village, part of the traditional
rural scene. It is a big crow, and a very social one, often mixed FLIGHT: direct, steady, evenly flapping; aerobatic
with Jackdaws, Stock Doves (see p.233) and Black-headed Gulls around colony, twisting and diving; often soars.
(see p.206). It nests in colonies in treetops, its big, AT COLONY
stick nests always easy to see except at the height of Typically, scores of Rook nests may
summer when foliage conceals them. Occasionally, be seen close together near tops
a pair or two will nest in more isolated situations, of trees in a visually obvious colony.
inviting confusion with Carrion Crows; the two
species can sometimes be quite difficult to tell apart.
VOICE Loud, raucous, relaxed cawing, caaar, grah-
gra-gra, variety of higher, strangled or metallic notes
especially around colony.
NESTING Big nest of sticks in tree, lined with grass,
moss, and leaves; 3–6 eggs; 1 brood; March–June.
FEEDING Eats worms, beetle larvae, seeds, grain,
and roots from ground, especially ploughed fields or
stubble, usually in flocks; also forages along roadsides
for insects and large road casualties.
OCCURRENCE
SIMILAR SPECIES Absent from Iceland, Scandinavia,
and Mediterranean area, but
CARRION CROW RAVEN angled wings, wedge- resident across W and C Europe
see p.370 black face shaped tail in flight;
see p.371 and summer visitor to NE Europe.
flatter smaller and Typically in farmland with
crown
greyer
scattered trees, parks, large
thicker gardens, and villages with
bill spinneys of tall trees.
tighter Seen in the UK
plumage JACKDAW
see p.368 J F M A M JJ A S O N D
Length 44–46cm (17 1 ⁄2 –18in) Wingspan 81–99cm (32–39in) Weight 460–520g (17–19oz)
Social Flocks Lifespan 5–10 years Status Secure
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