Jackdaw - Coloeus monedula

A small black crow with a grey neck and pale eyes. It is sociable and usually seen in pairs or larger groups. It is quite an acrobatic flier and flocks will often chase and tumble together in flight. On the ground it both walks and hops.

Fields, woods, parks and gardens. Absent from the Scottish Highlands. Often found on grasssland and pasture. Roosts communally in woodlands.

All year round

The Jackdaw forages in open areas and on the ground, but does take some food in trees. Garbage tips, bins, urban streets and gardens are also visited, more often early in the morning when there are fewer people about. Jackdaws nest in cavities of trees, cliffs or ruins, and sometimes inhabited, buildings, often in chimneys, and even in dense conifers.

Common and widespread in Britain

A common breeding bird in Leicestershire and Rutland.