Western Jackdaw

Coloeus monedula

Also known as: Eurasian Jackdaw, Jackdaw

About This Species

This small, sociable corvid nests in cavities in old trees, cliffs, church towers and chimneys across much of Europe and western Asia, often in loose colonies, and is easily told from other crows by its pale grey nape and striking silvery-white eye. Flocks are highly vocal, giving sharp chack calls in flight, and often forage on open ground alongside rooks or jackdaws of mixed age. Communal winter roosts, sometimes numbering in the thousands, offer a spectacular dusk gathering in the colder months.

Ethical Viewing Guidelines

This species tolerates a reasonable degree of human activity in towns and farmland, but nest cavities and roost sites are best watched from a distance rather than approached directly.
Across its European range it is generally protected under national wildlife legislation and the European Union's Birds Directive, which prohibit deliberate disturbance at nests, though specific enforcement and exceptions vary by country.
Blocking chimneys is a common source of accidental nest destruction, so checking for occupancy before any chimney work in spring is a simple precaution.

NEAvesPasseriformesCorvidae

Seasonal Activity

4,425,432 sightings · 2000–2026

Citizen science records via GBIF

All monthsThis month

Classification

Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Passeriformes
Family: Corvidae

Photo

CC-BY-SA-4.0

Occurrence data from GBIF.