Wildlifeof India
Western Jackdaw
Crows, Drongos, Orioles & Shrikes
Photo: Hans Hillewaert · CC BY-SA 3.0 (May be cropped or resized)
Coloeus monedula
Basic stats
Habitat
Farmland, open woodland, coastal cliffs and urban settings; nests in cavities in trees, cliffs or buildings
Range
North-west Africa and Europe east through central Asia to the eastern Himalaya and Lake Baikal; in South Asia Pakistan and north-western India
Clutch size
About 5 pale blue or blue-green eggs with brown to grey speckles
Size
34–39cm
The western jackdaw, also called the Eurasian or European jackdaw, is a black crow-family bird 34–39 cm long with a grey nape and a distinctive pale iris; immatures have duller, less demarcated plumage and four subspecies differ in the paleness of the head and nape. It is found from north-west Africa through Europe, except the subarctic north, and east through central Asia to the eastern Himalaya and Lake Baikal, including Afghanistan, Pakistan and north-western India (Wikipedia, general species account).
It is mostly resident, although northern and eastern populations migrate south in winter. It is gregarious and vocal, living in small groups with a complex social structure. Pairs are monogamous and build simple stick nests in cavities. About five eggs are laid and incubated by the female, and the young fledge in four to five weeks. It is not in SoIB 2023 as a separate category (Wikipedia, general species account).
Quick answers
- What habitat does the Western Jackdaw live in?
- Farmland, open woodland, coastal cliffs and urban settings; nests in cavities in trees, cliffs or buildings
- Where is the Western Jackdaw found?
- North-west Africa and Europe east through central Asia to the eastern Himalaya and Lake Baikal; in South Asia Pakistan and north-western India
- How many eggs does the Western Jackdaw lay?
- About 5 pale blue or blue-green eggs with brown to grey speckles
- How big is the Western Jackdaw?
- 34–39cm