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Celebrating the Jackdaw

Highly intelligent, sociable, and well mannered. What more could you want? Jackdaws have a highly developed culture. Did you know they have a strong hierarchy amongst them. There is always a big handsome chief, followed by upper class pretenders, then the middle classes and the lower classes. This class system is sorted very soon after they fly the nest, with young males prancing and preening their way to their allotted status in life.

This chap looks like the Big Chief

Once the pecking order is settled, they turn their attention to the ladies. Pairing takes place very early in life, long before they are mature enough to mate. The ladies assume the same social position as their man and they stay together for life, despite not breeding for another year or so. They look after each other, share food and possessions, and remain totally faithful.

 

Should there be uneven numbers of males and females in the group, those who find themselves unattached are at the bottom of the pile, a sort of under class, pecked by all the rest with no-one for them to peck. However, if the King loses his Queen, he will chose another partner who may well be one of these miserable spinsters – and she will then cast off her rags in exchange for fine plumage and other perks of royalty. He will never attempt to take a lady from one of the others.

This is another picture of the leucistic jackdaw. Maybe he is at the bottom of the pile due to his markings, but he does have a normal mate.

They eat just about anything – insects, worms, mice, seeds, vegetation, berries, fruit, nuts and scraps. Mine are very partial to suet. Sadly, they can also take eggs and chicks like other corvids. This variety of food and lack of faddy tastes allows the species to thrive.

 

I have witnessed two jackdaws having a ferocious tug of war with a date, but have never seen them peck at or show aggression to another species of bird. They wait patiently for an empty feeder, or sometimes simply fly down to one occupied by a pigeon or starling, whereupon said bird quickly disappears having seen the size of the approaching claws.

And who wouldn't give way to that!!!!

 I have grown very fond of them. They aren't particularly greedy, don't fight or squabble, and don't break feeders, although they do steal fat cakes if they get half a chance. They are also very clever and inventive. They can perch ontop of the pole, reach down with great agility to lift up a half coconut by the string, hold it in their claws and eat the contents. I have 6 regulars, occasionally 8. I don't want any more, but am pleased to have the ones I have.

  • Excellent pics and very interesting accompanying information too! Thanks Sparrow! I do think the leucistic one is particularly handsome! I love all of the corvids for the same reasons: their beauty and intelligence!

  • Hi Sparrow ,

    What an intresting read, lovely pics too.

  • Hi Sparrow, what a fascinating read  - and brilliant photos. Thanks for sharing that.

  • Thankyou so much everybody for reading about jackdaws and for your kind coments. I do love them, but if any of them try to take away my tortoises this summer I will change my mind!!

    Everyone is right, they are nervous and fly off at the slightest thing. I find this odd in such a big bird. All my observations and photos are from indoors. I doubt I would ever get close to them outside.

  • What a lovely post.  Thanks.  It is great to hear about the birds' behaviour, and to read someone celebrating their love of the birds.  That is far more like what I enjoy about birds than identifying a species, or a male/female, or defining the subtleties of markings that differentiate two similar species.  They are living creatures, not trains.  (Of course, it's also interesting to be able to identify species and sexes, but that level of interest follows on from a love of the birds themselves.)

    But then, I'm the sort of bloke who always says "Hello" to a blackbird.

    As for jackdaws and corvids generally, they are a favourite family of birds.  I have only seen ravens in the distance, but I always think of the carrion crow as the next best thing: the poor man's raven!  Ravens, crows and jackdaws share that sense of mystery.   Magpies, rooks and jays are also intelligent and interesting birds to watch.

    I once stood for ages watching a crow and a magpie playing "chess" in a tree, the larger crow trying to get in a position to steal the egg; the smaller magpie trying to get a height advantage without leaving his opponent's way clear.

  • Great post and some lovely photos! I have a particular fondness for all corvids. They're so intelligent and so full of character, and somehow mysterious with their dark feathers and intelligent eyes. I enjoy watching the jackdaws in the garden and their interactions, sorting out the pecking order with fluffed-out trousers, piercing eyes and intimidating chatter. I consider myself very fortunate to also know magpies, jackdaws, crows, rooks and ravens personally. Each one has a personality that seems to fill far more space than the actual bird!

  • Hi Diogenes and Maisie,

    Thank you so much for your comments. I am delighted you, and the others, enjoyed my post. I couldn't agree more with both of you. Thank you.

  • Hi Sparrow,

    Lovely photos, you are obviously enjoying that camera.  Jackdaws are great, I like them very much.  I was watching some in town the other day and they were very entertaining.  Here they are -

    SB

  • Lovely photographs SB. Just love the way you have caught the eyes.

  • Thanks SB, and thanks for sharing the great photos of your "townies". Is that middle one on a chimney pot? He looks very uncomfortable. I was watching a pair this afternoon on my bird table being pecked off by a feral pigeon. Despite being bigger than the pigeon, and being two of them, the jackdaws backed down.