Today I want to talk about a family of birds that don’t always receive much love: corvids. Whether it’s their reputation as scavengers, their lack of colour (although tell that to a jay or a magpie) or the way they sometimes appear to ‘bully’ smaller birds from feeders, corvids rarely seem to top anyone’s ‘must-see’ lists.
Personally, I love them. I’m fascinated by their intelligence, their playfulness and the subtle differences between certain species. And although I’m sure I’m not alone in that opinion, I hope that today’s blog will help turn a few more people towards the dark side.
To that end, here’s a fun fact or two for every corvid native to Scotland.
Carrion crow
While crows aren’t the only birds that have learned how to crack open nuts to reach the tasty morsels inside, they’ve mastered a fascinating technique. Carrion crows have been observed dropping particularly hard nuts onto roads, to be crushed by passing cars. Moreover, they do so at pedestrian crossings, giving them an opportunity to gather their prize when the lights turn red.
The term 'crow' is sometimes used to refer to the whole family, but this is specifically a carrion crow. Photo credit: Ben Andrew
Hooded crow
Regarded as the same species as the carrion crow until 2002, ‘hoodies’ as they’re often known, look as though they've donned a grey singlet. They’re much more sociable than carrion crows and can be found in larger groups. Must be to discuss their fashion choices.
Hooded crows will be more familiar to those of us in the north and west, while carrion crows dominate elsewhere. Photo credit: David Morris
Chough
Despite being found in small numbers on Islay, Colonsay and Scotland’s southwest coast, choughs have long been associated with Cornwall. So much so that they feature on the county’s coat of arms and were once known in Scotland as “the Crow of Cornwall”. With barely 100 individuals in Scotland, we’re working to protect them on our Loch Gruinart and The Oa reserves.
Choughs are easily recognisable by their bright red legs and beak. Photo credit: Martin Yelland
Magpie
Although they look like one of our bulkier corvids, magpies are surprisingly light, weighing in at approximately 200-250g. In comparison a carrion crow can weigh between 350-650g and ravens tip the scales at up to 1.5kg! The long (yet incredibly light) tail of the magpie makes them appear heavier than they actually are. They must need to be nimble to steal all our shiny things.
Hopefully having two magpie photos will bring you some joy. Photo credits: Ben Andrew & Brian Ludwig
Rook
Rooks are gregarious birds, meaning they spend a lot of time socialising and gathering in nesting sites known as rookeries. Sometimes they can be so numerous that their presence actually affects the type of plants that grow beneath their trees. As the soil absorbs their droppings and other materials, it becomes more acidic, which is great for certain flowers (and not so good for others).
Contrary to what chess tells you, rooks can move in more than four directions. Photo credit: Ben Andrew
Jackdaw
Compared to their counterparts from mainland Europe, British jackdaws are incredibly lazy. While our birds rarely travel more than a few kilometres from their nesting sites, many European birds migrate during winter. Some even travel from Scandinavia to join our own resident birds for the colder months. Like visiting the family at Christmas.
Who are you calling lazy? Photo credit: Ben Andrew
Jay
Do you like oak trees? Then you should love jays. These colourful corvids can bury up to 5000 acorns in a single season. While their intention is to store some snacks for a later date, many acorns are forgotten about and grow into full, mature oaks.
Click here for more fascinating facts about jays.
Anyone who says corvids look dull has clearly never met a jay. Photo credit: Alison Garwood
Raven
The greatest of our corvids, not just in size but in brain power too. With an ability to use tools such as sticks, a memory that allows them to recall the locations of food sources from years past and social skills that allow them to communicate future plans, ravens have an estimated IQ equivalent to that of a seven-year-old human.
Along with the size and call, a key identifying feature of the raven is the diamond-shaped tail. Photo credit: Chris Gomersall
Header image shows a Carrion Crow standing in a grassy field. Credit: Andy Hay.