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Rook (Corvus frugilegus) — photo 1 of 4
© Brian Snelson from Hockley, Essex, England CC BY 2.0

Crows and jays · Perching birds

Rook

Corvus frugilegus

Year-round

Voice

Call

Philippe_Grange

0:45

Song

Philippe_Grange

2:00

Call

Philippe_Grange

1:03

How to recognize it

  • 45–47 cm, large black corvid

  • Adults with a whitish bare patch at the base of the bill

  • Pale bill, compact body, relatively short tail

  • Harsh "kaa"; often walks on the ground and gathers in flocks

About the species

The rook is the kind of urban edge presence you notice in noisy groups before you look closely. In adults, the bare pale patch at the base of the bill stands out, but what stays in memory is the busy, communal way it moves and feeds.

Rooks spend a lot of time in flocks, on the ground or coming and going from the treetops where they nest together. Their call is a rough, familiar caw, and in larger gatherings the sound can become quite constant.

They favor open country, pasture, and arable land, along with settlements where tall trees are available. They feed mainly by probing the soil for grubs and other invertebrates, but they also take cereals and other plant food, and in the north some populations move south for winter.

Did you know?

  • Wintering at their own nests

    Over forty years the rook's wintering boundary has shifted far to the northeast: many pairs stop migrating altogether and winter beside their own nests, even setting about refurbishing the structure in a mild December.

Where to find

  • At the edge of open districts and along old roads, where tall trees stand beside lawns, Rooks walk in short strides and probe the grass with their bills.

  • By pond margins, ditches, and canal banks — especially on soft, wet ground after rain — look for them pulling worms from the soil.

  • In spring, mature trees in older courtyards and parks can host noisy colonies: the canopy fills with a harsh caw while adults ferry food to nests.

  • In winter, small groups gather on squares, near bins, and along quiet streets, picking up food scraps early in the morning or toward dusk.

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Sources