I saw a black bird about the size of a crow in a pasture area in Bakewell, Derbyshire. It had a basically black plumagebut the crown of its head was of a bluey/grey colour and was also tufted.Can anyone please identify?
Hi longsighted
Welcome to the forum.
The bird you describe sounds very much like a jackdaw. They are slightly smaller than a crow but they do have a grey neck-side and nape which can often appear blueish. I wouldn't say they have crest exactly but can sometimes appear to have a slightly "punk" hairdo.
Check out the the photo in this thread that someone posted. Quite a comical example.
http://www.rspb.org.uk/community/forums/t/15234.aspx
They are a very common bird in farmland and often live in quite close proximity to man. They often frequent churchyards for example. You've probably heard their "jack", "jack" calls.
Regards
TJ
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Tony
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