
Jackdaws are two species of bird in the genus Coloeus, closely related to crows and ravens. They are smaller than their cousins, with a blackish crown, wings, and tail, and paler plumage elsewhere. Jackdaws are found across Europe, Asia, Africa, and Siberia, and are an important part of the United Kingdom's ecosystem. In his book *King Solomon's Ring*, Konrad Lorenz describes the complex social interactions of a western jackdaw flock that lived around his house in Altenberg, Austria. This text will explore the relationship between jackdaws and Austria, as described by Lorenz.
Characteristics | Values |
---|---|
Jackdaw species | Western jackdaw, Daurian jackdaw |
Genus | Coloeus |
Related species | Crows, ravens, carrion crows, hooded crows |
Region | Europe, Asia, Africa, Siberia |
Behaviour | Social, intelligent, gregarious, vocal |
Habitat | Austria, Russia, China, Siberia, Mongolia |
What You'll Learn
Jackdaws are a small species of crow
The word 'Coloeus' is Neo-Latin, from the Ancient Greek for jackdaws: 'koloiós'. While some authors consider Coloeus a subgenus of Corvus, others have classified Coloeus as a distinct genus in the family Corvidae. The International Ornithological Congress has reassigned the two Jackdaw species from the genus Corvus to the genus Coloeus.
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They are found across Europe, western Asia and North Africa
Jackdaws are found across Europe, western Asia and North Africa. They are two species of bird in the genus Coloeus, closely related to crows and ravens (Corvus). They are smaller than crows and ravens, with a blackish crown, wings and tail, and paler plumage.
The western jackdaw (Coloeus monedula) is a passerine bird in the crow family. The International Ornithological Congress has reassigned the two jackdaw species from the genus Corvus to the genus Coloeus. The western jackdaw is found in Europe, western Asia and North Africa, while the Daurian jackdaw (C. dauuricus) is found in eastern Russia and China.
The word Coloeus is Neo-Latin, derived from the Ancient Greek word for jackdaws: koloiós (κολοιός). Jackdaws are intelligent, gregarious and very vocal birds that form strong, long-lasting pair bonds. They are also diurnal, active during the daytime and sleeping at night.
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Jackdaws are intelligent, gregarious and very vocal birds
Jackdaws are a small species of crow from the *Corvus* genus. They differ most obviously from the UK's Carrion Crow and Hooded Crow in size, being just half the weight of these related birds. They occasionally deter or outcompete smaller birds at the bird table. However, it's important to remember that they are also a natural part of the United Kingdom's ecosystem and bird fauna.
The Western jackdaw (*Coloeus monedula*) is a passerine bird in the crow family found across Europe, western Asia and North Africa. The common name of the bird derives from the word 'jack', denoting 'small', and 'daw', a less common synonym for 'jackdaw', and the native English name for the bird. Jackdaws are diurnal animals, active during the daytime, with a period of sleeping or other inactivity at night. They are omnivores, able to eat and survive on both plant and animal matter.
In his book *King Solomon's Ring*, Konrad Lorenz described and analysed the complex social interactions in a western jackdaw flock that lived around his house in Altenberg, Austria. He ringed them for identification and caged them in the winter to prevent their annual migration. He found that the birds have a linear hierarchical group structure, with higher-ranked individuals dominating lower-ranked birds, and pair-bonded birds sharing the same rank. Young males establish their individual status before pairing with females. Upon pairing, the female assumes the same social position as her partner. Unmated females are the lowest members in the pecking order, and are the last to have access to food and shelter.
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They have a linear hierarchical group structure
Jackdaws are two species of bird in the genus Coloeus, closely related to, but generally smaller than, crows and ravens (Corvus). They have a blackish crown, wings, and tail, with the rest of their plumage paler. They come from Asia, Europe, Africa and Siberia.
In his book *King Solomon's Ring*, Konrad Lorenz described and analysed the complex social interactions in a western jackdaw flock that lived around his house in Altenberg, Austria. He found that the birds have a linear hierarchical group structure, with higher-ranked individuals dominating lower-ranked birds, and pair-bonded birds sharing the same rank. Young males establish their individual status before pairing with females. Upon pairing, the female assumes the same social position as her partner. Unmated females are the lowest members in the pecking order, and are the last to have access to food and shelter.
Jackdaws are intelligent, gregarious and very vocal birds that form strong, long-lasting pair bonds. They are also diurnal, meaning they are active during the daytime, with a period of sleeping or other inactivity at night.
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Konrad Lorenz studied jackdaws in Austria
Jackdaws are two species of bird in the genus *Coloeus*, closely related to, but generally smaller than, crows and ravens (*Corvus*). They have a blackish crown, wings, and tail, with the rest of their plumage paler. The word *Coloeus* is Neo-Latin, from the Ancient Greek for jackdaws: *koloiós* (κολοιός). They come from Asia, Europe, Africa and Siberia. While some authors consider *Coloeus* a subgenus of *Corvus*, others have classified *Coloeus* as a distinct genus in the family Corvidae. The International Ornithological Congress has also reassigned the two jackdaw species from the genus *Corvus* to the genus *Coloeus*.
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Frequently asked questions
The Western jackdaw is a passerine bird in the crow family, found across Europe, western Asia and North Africa.
In his book *King Solomon's Ring*, Konrad Lorenz described and analysed the complex social interactions in a western jackdaw flock that lived around his house in Altenberg, Austria.
The scientific name for the Western jackdaw is Coloeus monedula.