Order: Passerines (Passeriformes)

Members of this family are fond of bright, shiny objects, and will steal rings and other jewellery.

Most members of the Crow Family eat a wide variety of food.

All of these birds are all quite large, about the size of a pigeon.

Many members of the Crow Family are large and black, and it takes a bit of practice before one can tell the difference between, for example, Crows, Rooks, Jackdaws and Ravens.

From the Crow Family, you can now explore:

Jay

Magpie

Jackdaw

Carrion Crow

Rook

Jay

Garrulus glandarius

The Jay is the colour of a chocolate drink, with a patch of bright shimmering blue feathers on its wings. There is also a patch of white on the wings, which are tipped with black.

It has a black tail, white rump, and a black strip on its face, like a moustache. The feathers on the top of the Jay's head are often ruffled, sticking up in the air. It is about the size of a pigeon.

It often gives a warning shriek to other birds if it is alarmed, when it sees a human, for example.

When on the ground, the Jay hops around all over the place. It searches under oak trees for acorns.

Habitat

The Jay loves dense woods, and is a common forest bird.

The Jay eats all sorts of things, including acorns, beechnuts, hazelnuts, berries, fruits and peas.

It steals the eggs and young of other birds, as well as mice.

It also feeds on insects, worms and snails.

The Jay builds a flat nest of grass, roots and sticks, in a tall bush or low tree. The five or six eggs are light greenish grey, covered with small brown spots.

It can be found all year long in England and Ireland. Some Jays migrate to warmer parts during the winter.

Its warning cry is a harsh shriek, which sounds like "skraaaak". It also makes a mewing "peeoo" sound.

34 cm.

The Jay buries acorns in the ground, stored away for a future meal.

The Jay takes careful note of the landmarks (such as trees and boulders) around each stored acorn so that it can find the hidden seed later.

However, Jays sometimes forget where one is hidden, and so the acorn has a chance to grow into a new oak tree!

Magpie

Pica pica

These birds are easy to recognise. They are black and white, and have long tails.

The glossy black feathers shimmer with metallic dark blue and green hues.

When flying, one can clearly see their black and white wings.

They usually fly around in small parties of a few Magpies.

However, they are nervous, and often quietly fly away from humans.

Habitat

Magpies like fairly open countryside, with trees.

There is not much that the Magpie won't eat. They consume small birds, including hatchlings, mice, insects, snails and worms as well as fruit, grain and acorns.

The nest is large, and dome-shaped, made up out of thorny twigs and mud. There is an entrance hole at the side.

The nest is usually built in a low tree or bush. The eggs are pale blue, speckled with brown, and about eight are laid at a time.

They can be found over most of Britain, except for Scotland. They stay in Britain all year long, and are known as residents.

Magpies make a harsh rapid rattling sound.

46 cm.

Jackdaw

Corvus monedula

Jackdaws are black, with grey shading at the back and sides of the neck. They have white eyes, with a black iris in the middle.

Habitat

Jackdaws can be found in the countryside where there are old trees, or in quarries, in ruins and on church towers.

They like fairly open country, and are attracted to farmland where animals are kept, because they can find lots of insects and soil invertebrates there.

They love to eat insects, worms, snails, slugs and mice, as well as berries and cereals.

Jackdaws are hole-nesting birds, and use cavities in old trees, rocks, buildings or chimney pots.

The nest is made of twigs and straw, and is lined with paper, hair and feathers.

Four to six eggs are laid, and they are greenish-blue or grey, and speckled brown.

They are laid in April or June and hatch about three weeks after being laid.

Jackdaws can be found all over Britain, throughout the year. Some of them fly to warmer countries in cold weather.

The call of the Jackdaw is higher pitched and shorter than Rooks or Crows, like a "chak" and "kow" sound.

33 cm.

Jackdaws like to move around in large groups with other Jackdaws, and can be found feeding and roosting together.

Carrion Crow

Corvus corax

Crows are all black. They have massive beaks, and ruffled throat feathers.

The Crow is smaller than the Raven, and has a less powerful beak. When flying, its wings look less ragged than those of the Rook.

Habitat

Crows likes to nest in rocky mountains or on steep cliffs. Some can also be found in lowland forests.

During the winter, they can often be found in large groups, feeding or roosting. Most of the time they are seen flying alone or in pairs.

Crows eat insects, small live animals, dead animals (carrion), eggs and fruit. They will also search through rubbish left by humans, to find a tasty morsel.

The large nest is made of twigs and sticks, and a small cup-shaped inner nest, made soft with a feather lining. It is built high up a tree or rock crevice.

Four to six eggs are laid. They are greenish blue, with brown-black speckles.

Both the male and female feed the hatchlings for about 40 days.

Crows can be found through much of Britain except for Ireland and North Scotland.

In Ireland and North Scotland, the Carrion Crow is replaced by the Hooded Crow, a different race of the same bird.

The Hooded Crow looks as though it is wearing a light grey waistcoat. During the winter, many Hooded Crows fly a little further south, and can be found in the same parts of Britain as the Carrion Crow.

Crows make a very deep croak.

47 cm.

Rook

Corvus frugilegus

This bird is black, with a purple-blue sheen. At the base of the beak, the adult Rook has a patch of pale, unfeathered skin.

Rooks are about the same size as the Carrion Crow.

The Rook is the most sociable out of all the birds in the Crow Family.

Habitat

The Rook is common in the countryside, where farmers till the land, because they can find lots of grubs, worms and insects in the dug-up soil.

The Rook also needs to have access to groups of trees in which it can nest.

Rooks eat insects, worms, snails, slugs and small vertebrates such as lizards, mice and frogs.

They also eat berries, fruit and cereals.

The nest is built high up in an Elm or other broadleaved tall tree.

There are often several nests belonging to different Rooks, all in the same tree.

This grouping of nests is known as a "Rookery". Each nest is made of sticks and mud, and is lined with grass, wool and hair.

Rooks breed from March to April. The eggs are greenish with brown spots.

Rooks can be found throughout Britain all year round, but some of them fly off in October, to return in March.

The call of the Rook is deep, short, "kaw" or a longer "crow" sound. As well as this, they can make some high-pitched calls that sound a bit like a seagull.

46 cm.