jackdaws

I live in the West of Cornwall and at the moment get inúndated with jackdaws. Does anyone else have problems with them
  • Yes all the time.

    I've started taping my garden feeders to posts as the loose hanging one's are always tipped out by them. I saw them flying up, grabbing the base and continuing upwards until the top fell away and the contents spilled out for the rest of the team to tuck into. The taping seems to work, so far! They are still ramming feeders but only spilling small amounts.

    It's not all bad, In winter in my home town crows gather in vast numbers, spiraling high in brilliant displays. They look like sky surfers, so I try to forgive their little attacks on my feeders.

    Their display is not the quietest thing in the world and it starts very early in the morning! but then so do I.

  • Hello.

    I live just a few miles from Glasgow and get a few jackdaws visiting my garden.  To be fair I wouldn't say I was inundated with them.  I think the most I've seen at one time is about five or six.

     

    Paul

  • Very soon now the Jackdaws will fly in touching down on the grass, 1 or 2 at a time. Latterly we have inherited about 30. A rerun of 'the birds'. Later they roost in the large fir at the top of the garden.
  • hi Paul we get up to 2-7 Jackdaws when we put out fat balls

     

     

     

                          dan

     

  • Jackdaws can be found in large groups throughout the year in many regions of the country. Certainly during the breeding season they will nest colonially and of the the crow family they are the only species which readily take to large open fronted nestboxes - hence chimney pots (where many folk notice them nesting) are an excellent substitute!

    Once the breeding season has finished many different bird species including jackdaws will abandon thier breeding areas and congregate in even larger flocks. Flocking and communal roosting has several benefits for the birds. One particular roost we know of in Cornwall numbered 200 carrion crows, 2,500 rooks and as many as 7-8,000 jackdaws!

    Daytime flocks form around abundant food sources and they also act as good predator avoidance measures through safety in numbers.

    LS

  • Anonymous
    0 Anonymous 08/09/2009 23:32 in reply to Highland McHale

    hi there

    I have never had problems with Jackdaws as they are very appealing birds in their own way.  All birds are appealing and why is why I like them so much

    I think the problem with them is that they tend not to live in groups one's or two's when using the bird feeders - they come down as a 'gang' as all member of the Crow family do.  So they eat you out of house and home.

    So in the past I have stopped Jackdaws from eating the food of the table by placing wire around the top of the table so the smaller birds have access only.

    With the ground feeders I have placed wire boxes over the top of the feeders, so collared Doves are the only ones than can fit into the ground feeders,

    Simple solution really.

    Regards

    Kathy and Dave

  • Anonymous
    0 Anonymous 08/09/2009 23:34 in reply to LloydScott

    Interesting read Lloyd

    They like to be in numbers and that is their downfall at the feeders

    Regards

    Kathy and Dave

    Unknown said:

    Jackdaws can be found in large groups throughout the year in many regions of the country. Certainly during the breeding season they will nest colonially and of the the crow family they are the only species which readily take to large open fronted nestboxes - hence chimney pots (where many folk notice them nesting) are an excellent substitute!

    Once the breeding season has finished many different bird species including jackdaws will abandon thier breeding areas and congregate in even larger flocks. Flocking and communal roosting has several benefits for the birds. One particular roost we know of in Cornwall numbered 200 carrion crows, 2,500 rooks and as many as 7-8,000 jackdaws!

    Daytime flocks form around abundant food sources and they also act as good predator avoidance measures through safety in numbers.

    LS

     

  • I’ve been inundated by jackdaws over the past week, I have around 30-40 roosting in the cedar in my garden. They swoop over the garden pecking worms and are EXTREMELY chatty, it’s infuriating and stressful to live under them, they start at 4.00 am and continue to nightfall.
    Is there anything I can do to get rid of them? Are they here to stay? Will they only grow in numbers? Would really appreciate some advice.