[088] Coloeus monedula, Jackdaw
Introduction
Coloeus monedula, the Jackdaw, is a bird closely related to Crows and Rooks but somewhat smaller and more attractive looking. It’s one of my favourite birds.
There are technically two species of Jackdaw. This one is common and widespread over Europe and Western Asia, while the slightly more colourful Daurian Jackdaw, Coloeus dauricus, is found in Eastern China and adjacent countries. So Coloeus monedula is the Western Jackdaw, European Jackdaw or Eurasian jackdaw – but we can call it the Jackdaw.
Taxonomy
Kingdom – Animals
Phylum – Chordates
Class – Aves (Birds)
Order – Passeriformes (Perching Birds)
Family – Corvidae (Crow family)
Genus – Coloeus
Scientific Name – Coloeus monedula
Sometimes included in the Crow genus Corvus, the two Jackdaw species have been recently reassigned back to the separate genus Coloeus.
Name
It is sometimes said, incorrectly that the word Jackdaw comes from the call, which sounds like ‘chack,’ but it actually comes from the Old English name of these birds, which was just a daw. The addition of Jack to make Jack-daw, is used for other animals meaning ‘small’ as for the Jack Snipe.
Coloeus comes from the Ancient Greek name of the birds. Monedula comes from moneta, the Latin stem for money, from their tendency to pick up coins.
Description
We will see the Crow family in [098] Crow and [099] Rook. Many of them are all black. The Jackdaw is mostly black, sometimes with a blue or purple sheen, but the nape of the neck and the back of the head are a silver-grey colour, and the front is a darker grey. The eyes are almost white.
For a juvenile bird, the grey over the underside of the bird is much lighter and the eye is a light blue colour.
They can have the odd white bit and this bird seen at Slimbridge with its white feather stayed around for months.
They are omnivorous and will eat insects and small invertebrates, carrion, eggs and young chicks from other bird’s nests, grains, berries and seeds.
Habitat
Jackdaws are widespread and common over the UK. They are gregarious but remain monogamous and always keep close together in their pairs.
In the countryside, they are often seen in a group merged with a group of Rooks. They are generally less wary of human contact and more common in towns than Crows,
Despite their size they are attracted in places to birdfeeders. Like all the Crow family they are intelligent and will work out how to get at the food.
Other Notes
Jackdaws are much easier to find and photograph than others in the Crow family.
See also
Look out for Crows and Rooks.
The Species of Britain 