Many of the UK’s most common corvids – members of the crow family – sport all-black plumage, which can make identification a bit of a headache. But once you know what to look for, there are easy ways to tell the difference. And it’s worth making the effort, because what they lack in colour corvids definitely make up for in brain power – they’re some of the smartest animals on the planet and their entertaining antics are fascinating to watch!
Jackdaws aren’t as common in big urban centres, but they will live in smaller towns and villages, or older suburbs where there are houses with chimneys.
They also live in parks, woods, farmland and around sea cliffs. They will visit gardens looking for food or nesting materials, and come to feeders and bird tables, but they don’t tend to hand around for long.
Jackdaws seem to be more comfortable with people than Crows or Rooks, though they’re still cautious. They often nest in buildings and can be seen perched on chimneys and rooftops, or walking around pavements looking for food, often singly or in pairs.
In the air, they have a faster flight than the bigger corvids and can be very playful, with tumbling aerobatics. In the winter, Jackdaws often come together in groups to roost, sometimes with Rooks, and perform noisy display flights at dusk and dawn.
They eat insects, seeds and fruit, but will also take eggs and young birds.
Jackdaws are well known for nesting in chimneys, but they also nest in outbuildings, large buildings like churches, on cliffs, in tree holes, or in large nest boxes.
Scientists have shown that Jackdaws can recognise individual human faces.