Birds · Passeriformes · Corvidae

Western Jackdaw

Corvus monedula

Least Concern

The species is abundant and widely distributed; it faces no significant short-term risk. See full glossary

It is recognisable by its silver-grey nape and piercing pale grey, almost white eyes, a distinctive feature among the crows. It nests in tree holes, rock crevices and often in the chimneys of buildings.

Weight

220 g – 270 g

Size

34 cm – 39 cm

Lifespan

7 years

Diet

Omnivore

Combines animal and plant food depending on availability.

Activity

Diurnal

Active mainly during the day.

Social structure

Colony

Lives in large concentrations, often for breeding reasons.

Sighting difficulty

Easy

Temperate forestMountainOmnivore Diurnal Colonial Bird Temperate forest Mountain

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Fun facts

It is easily told by its pale grey, almost white eyes.
It often nests in chimneys and cavities in buildings.
It forms large communal flocks outside the breeding season, sometimes alongside other crows.

Life cycle & biology

Skeleton type: Vertebrate - pneumatised bony skeleton (bird)
Habitat & environment: Open woodland, steppe, sea cliffs and towns of Europe, western Asia and north-western Africa
Birth weight: Exact weight at hatching not found as a precise figure
Size at birth: Altricial, blind and naked on hatching
Sexual maturity: 2 years (though they pair up in their first year)
Gestation / incubation: 17-20 days
Litter / clutch size: 4 to 6 eggs per clutch