A question about Corvids

[MonumentalLentil]

I thought the various sizes of identical looking birds in the garden were crows. They have a lighter patch on the back of the neck.

However, there are now some really, really big black birds with big black beaks which I think are ravens, no lighter patches, beautiful birds and they bounce along sideways.

(There are also blackbirds which I know are not Corvids (thrush family) and I know they are really blackbirds).

I have looked them up but it seems I am not alone in this failure to identify correctly.

Assuming the big ones are ravens, can someone help with the crows or are they rooks or what?

Maybe this page will help? www.rspb.org.uk/birds-and-wildlife/wildlife-guides/bird-a-z/crow-family/

I will just add, they don't look as short in the head as pictures of jackdaws, and look almost completely black until you look again and realise there is a lighter bit on the back of the neck only. They are very handsome.

The most magnificent of Corvids, Jackdaws?

Ravens are huge, similar to birds of prey. Whereabouts are you?

Thank you, I had looked at that already, still can't figure it out.

I think the memory tool for that is a "a rook on its own is a crow, a crow in a crowd is a rook" but I don't have any more detailed identification knowledge...

I opened this thread thinking you were my Aunt talking about people with covid!

I'd say most likely the big ones are crows and the little ones are jackdaws. Jackdaws are pretty distinctive in terms of the head shape. That's purely based on the fact that ravens are really quite rare - jackdaws and crows are pretty common. Also, ravens are huge - like think golden eagle type huge. I don't know about rooks, hopefully someone else can explain how they fit in.

Border of London and close to some green spaces, have all manner of wildlife which I am cultivating.

They are seriously big, but only 2 of them. Word has got out that there is food.

Unless you are out in the countryside, ravens are very unlikely. The original ones are most likely jackdaws - they like to nest in chimneys - and the newcomers are probably standard (carrion) crows.

OK, I asked because if you're in Scotland there are also Hooded Crows to add to the mix! Rooks have a light patch on the face by the beak.

www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/blog/2020/01/rook-crow-or-raven/

This gives wingspan sizes and has a really helpful face picture of a rook. It doesn't cover jackdaws though.

See here:
www.rspb.org.uk/birds-and-wildlife/wildlife-guides/bird-a-z/crow-family/

Probably jackdaws (look for their beautiful blue eyes).

@Tidypidy are you relieved to find it's not?😁

I had already discounted those. I need to get some decent photos, if they will pose for me.

This might help.

Have you found the videos if you click into the individual RSPB pages? I think they give enough natural context to make it easier to get a proper feel for the size of the various birds, which helps me as I'm rubbish at imaging sizes written down.

@Tidypidy my mother is the same. She used to think tampons were pronounced tampoons, rhymes with harpoons 🤣

Sorry to derail a thread, jackdaws have grey on the back of their heads. Ravens are huge, they have to be to protect the Tower of London. I think crows are the smallest and rooks a bit bigger but I may be wrong. Blackbirds are a lot smaller, Mr has an orange beak, Mrs' beak is brown, he loves singing and both fly low, usually into the paths of vehicles 😪

I adore corvids. They are so clever, they learn your routine and can recognise your face. There’s even stories about generations being taught and grudges against people being held by generations of them.
I’ve some friendly magpies in my garden, they show me their babies every year and come and ask for food when they see me in the garden.

my guess is jackdaws with the hood and crow. Sounds silly saying it as they are fairly common but crows are large birds.

Similar to pp, crows are solitary so unlikely to be them.
”if there’s crows, that’s rooks. If there’s a rook, that’s a crow.”

They look more majestic than the jackdaw photos, am going to have to search through the old wildlife cam footage which will take days.

The new ones are the biggest I have seen here, apart from the hawk that I think is used to get rid of the lovely pigeons.

Is there a type of Corvid that jumps along sideways? Not seen it before.

Also have a woodpecker and a jay sometimes, not far from the countryside, green spaces and trees nearby.

Thanks all, I was confused before, but now, well, very confused. I will take a good look at all the posts in case I missed something, and although I see them every day from the window I can't get a better look at them unless I set up the camera and they model for me.

Blackbirds I know, currently 3 males and one female. Plus an awful lot of the unidentified ones which the general consensus indicates are jackdaws. They like to hang from the gutter outside my window.

Most of the magpies have gone, had loads last year.

If the original ones are jackdaws they'll strut along your roof and gather round your chimneypots calling "Jack! Jack! Jack!"

Yes! Though wouldn't surprise me to find her on here 😂

The smaller ones with lighter patches are likely to be jackdaws and the bigger ones with black beaks crows. Ravens tend to be found in wilder places like moorlands and mountainous areas.