I don’t know what’s going on with the jackdaws who roost in the big ash tree on the hill above our house. Lately they’ve been bursting over the garden with much clamour and commotion. The eruptions can happen at any time, which is very disturbing when one is hanging out the washing.
Usually big aerial displays of corvids take place at dusk. This seems different though. A bit of a fracas perhaps: the newly fledged offspring coming to terms with their established community, and vice versa. Anyway it strikes this human onlooker as one big family row. Well, just imagine having to live in one tree with this crowd.
I’ve never seen them behaving like that before. Bizarre.
At first we thought it was a change in the weather i.e. when we got some rain, but then the rain didn’t last long, and they’re still doing it. Maybe the roost has reached optimum size and new colonies need to happen.
Are jackdaws crows or ravens?
All three are part of the same family – Corvids.
True. Just wanting clarification of the difference between them, e.g. ravens are larger than crows.
Jackdaws are smaller than crows, rooks and ravens, Pam. They’re very sociable and often share roosts with rooks. Crows are more solitary. Ravens are the biggest. Then there are choughs (with bright red bills). Magpies and jays also belong to corvid family.
Some good ID info here: https://bna-naturalists.org/id-guide-to-british-crows-corvids/
Very helpful, thanks. I’m familiar only with crows and ravens since rooks and jackdaws are not native to the US bird population.
They’re an interesting bunch. All very wily, though the jays are very reclusive.
I am currently being amused by what appears to be three sibling magpies in the garden. Lots of clickerty clacking going on. And occasional visits by mom or dad. The rooks and crows here often erupt like yours for whatever reason. Buzzards and helicopters upset them, though I haven’t actually seen a buzzard this year.
A red kite flying over did seem to trigger one eruption. There are just so many jackdaws in Bishop’s Castle. I’ve hardly seen a magpie or even a rook come to that, and the latter often share roosts with them.
Enigmatic. Is this the first time you saw these eruptions since you moved?
Yes, it does seem to be a recent happening i.e. apart from the usual end-of-day fly-past.
great photos and hahah, trying to imagine having to live in one tree with this crowd – whew –
The numbers are astonishing.
🙂🙂
That’s a lot of birds! Reminds me of the Hitchcock movie “The Birds.” Just imagine if they were all coming after you! It would be horrible.
Yes, The Birds, Janet. That’s been crossing my mind too.
Oooh, I’ve never witnessed such a huge assembly of jackdaws. Although I have a photo taken in February of a large number at rest on a tree at Fountains Abbey. Round our way, it’s the rooks who mob over the village church. But that’s every evening – nothing special.
Having this lot flying right over the garden is a tad unnerving. I often wonder what they all live on.
Well, quite. Though it seems they can eat almost anything, so being unfussy must help.
What a large family grouping you have. I love how we always think corvids are arguing or gossiping, but blackbirds and thrushes are sharing the delights of the day!
Yes, it’s a bit unfair ever thinking corvids are up to no good.
Ructions at the roost, eh? Could you have had anything to do with it?
Ah, now there’s a thought, Sue 🙂
The collective word for a group of jackdaws is a train, apparently.
A train – now that conjures images of alarming chaos looking at the swirling hundreds going every which way. Crewe station in the old days!
Oops… all those birds flying over as you hang out the washing!!! 🫣😵💫
Yep. One one tee shirt got zapped!
That’s a lot of birds for one tree! I wonder what, if anything, is setting them off like that? Very Alfred Hitchcock 😲
Wow, what impressive numbers. It does make for extraordinary pictures though.
Pity I hadn’t also included a soundtrack. The mass chakachak-chacking is almost alarming.
What is chakachak-checking?
It’s the raucous call that jackdaws make 🙂
Thanks!!
Heh, imagine the conversations going on up there! 😀
Ha! I shall listen in more closely 🙂