Western jackdaw

The western jackdaw is a clever bird in the crow family.

These birds live across Europe, western Asia, and western North Africa. Most jackdaws stay in the same area all year. However, some populations in the north and east move south during winter. They are very social and love to live in small groups.

You might see them in woodlands, on coastal cliffs, or even in busy cities. They are known for being very smart birds. Some jackdaws have even been seen using tools to help them.

Jackdaws have a very specific way of life. They are omnivores, which means they eat many different things. They eat plants and small invertebrates, which are tiny animals without backbones. In cities, they often eat food waste left by people.

These birds are also monogamous, meaning they stay with one partner. They build simple nests made of sticks. These nests are tucked into holes in trees, cliffs, or buildings.

The female lays about five eggs that are pale blue or mint green. These eggs have small brown or grey speckles on them. After the eggs are laid, the female sits on them to keep them warm. The young birds are ready to fly in four to five weeks.

People have studied these birds for a very long time. Carl Linnaeus first described the jackdaw in the 18th century. He gave it the scientific name Corvus monedula. He chose the name monedula because it comes from the Latin word for money.

This was because people thought the birds liked to pick up coins. The common name "jackdaw" appeared in the 16th century. It likely comes from the name Jack, which meant small, and the old word daw. In the past, some people simply called them "daws."

There are four different types of western jackdaws called subspecies.

The Nordic jackdaw lives in eastern Europe and Scandinavia. It has a light grey collar on its neck. The Western Eurasian jackdaw lives in places like the British Isles and Morocco. It is darker than the Nordic type. The Eastern Eurasian jackdaw lives near the eastern Himalayas and Lake Baikal. It has a very bright grey collar that stands out against its black head. Finally, the Algerian jackdaw lives in North Africa and has much duller feathers.

Looking at a jackdaw helps you spot it in the wild. Most of its feathers are a shiny black.

You might see a purple or blue shimmer on its head. Its throat and tail often have a green-blue shine. Adult birds have very light, silvery eyes.

Young birds have light blue eyes that turn brown as they grow. When they fly, they have fast and deep wingbeats. This makes them different from other crows. You can tell them apart from a chough because jackdaws have black legs and beaks.