Rook
Least ConcernCorvus frugilegus
Visual Identification
Rook
Appearance
The Rook is a medium-sized corvid with glossy black plumage that shows purple and blue iridescence in sunlight. It has a distinctive bare, greyish-white face and a slender, grey bill that appears slightly down-curved.
Adult Rooks have shaggy, loose feathers on their legs, giving them a 'baggy trouser' appearance. Females are similar to males, although they are generally smaller.
Juveniles lack the bare face patch and have a dark bill base, which gradually becomes bare as they mature.
Size
Length
45cm to 47cm
Wingspan
81cm to 99cm
Weight
337g to 531g
Colours
Males and females have similar plumage
Primary Colour
Black
Secondary Colour
Purple Blue
Beak Colour
Grey
Leg Colour
Black
Habitat and Distribution
Habitats
Woodland
Garden
Wetland
Coastal
Urban
Farmland
Grassland
Desert
Tundra
Rainforest
Mountain
Savanna
Distribution
Rooks are widely distributed across Europe and parts of western Asia. They thrive in open agricultural landscapes, grasslands, and urban parks with large trees for nesting. In the UK, Rooks are common and widespread in rural and suburban areas.
During winter, some northern populations migrate southward, while others remain resident year-round, especially in milder regions of western Europe.
They have also been successfully introduced to New Zealand, where a breeding population has been established.
Elevation Range
Up to 1,000 meters
Climate zones
Temperate, Continental
Distribution Map
Distribution by Region
Behaviour and Ecology
Bird Attributes
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Diet
Rooks are omnivorous, with a diet primarily consisting of invertebrates, grains, and seeds. They forage extensively on agricultural land, consuming earthworms, leatherjackets, and crop seeds. They also opportunistically eat small vertebrates like rodents, eggs, fruits, berries, and carrion when available.
Rooks find most of their food on the ground or in the soil, but they also visit bird tables. These intelligent birds are known to cache their food by burying it in the ground and covering it with leaves or soil.
Behaviour
Rooks are highly social birds, often seen foraging in large flocks on open fields. They use their strong bills to probe the soil for invertebrates and seeds.
Rooks are known for their intelligence and problem-solving abilities, often using tools to access food sources.
Vocalisation
Rooks are vocal birds with a range of calls. Their most common vocalisation is a loud, harsh 'caw' or 'kaah', often repeated in series.
During the breeding season, they produce softer, more varied calls, including guttural croaks and warbling sounds. Young Rooks make distinctive begging calls when soliciting food from parents.
Nesting & Breeding
Rooks are colonial nesters, forming large, noisy rookeries in tall trees. Breeding typically begins in March, with pairs engaging in aerial displays and mutual preening. Nests are built high in trees using twigs and lined with softer materials.
Females lay 3-5 pale blue-green eggs with brown speckles. Both parents share incubation duties for about 16-18 days. Nestlings are altricial and remain in the nest for approximately 32-36 days before fledging.
Young Rooks often return to their natal colonies to breed, contributing to the long-term stability of rookeries.
Lifespan
The Rook typically lives for 6 years, with a maximum recorded lifespan of 23.8 years.
Like all birds, lifespan can be affected by factors including predation, habitat quality, disease, and access to food sources.
Conservation and Status
Global Conservation Status
While currently listed as Least Concern, Rook populations have experienced declines in some parts of Europe. Changes in agricultural practices and land use have impacted their foraging habitats.
Conservation efforts focus on maintaining suitable nesting sites and promoting sustainable farming practices.
Birdwatching Tips
- Look for Rooks in open farmland, especially near nesting colonies
- Observe their distinctive bare face patch to differentiate from other corvids
- Listen for their characteristic 'caw' call, often heard in groups
- Watch for their unique walking gait and probing behaviour while foraging
Additional Information
Quick Facts
Other names:
European Rook
Family:
CorvidaePredators
Adult Rooks have few natural predators, but eggs and nestlings are vulnerable to corvids, raptors, and climbing mammals such as pine martens and squirrels.
Did You Know?
- Rooks can recognise and remember human faces, demonstrating remarkable cognitive abilities.
- They have been observed engaging in 'anting', rubbing ants through their feathers, possibly for pest control.
- Rook colonies, called rookeries, can persist in the same location for centuries.
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FAQs
Are Rooks a pest?
Rooks can cause damage to cereal crops in arable farmlands, although this is somewhat mitigated by the benefits they provide by eating insect pests.
What is a group of Rooks called?
A group of Rooks is most popularly known as a parliament, although other collective nouns include a clamour and a building of Rooks.
Why are Rooks so noisy?
Rooks are notoriously noisy birds, which is why they are sometimes known collectively as a clamour. These social birds use their voices to communicate above the din of all their neighbours.
They may begin calling well before sunrise, which can disturb people who live near a rookery or roost site.
Why do Rooks leave a rookery?
Superstition suggests that Rooks leaving their rookery is a bad omen, but this behaviour is expected at the end of the nesting season. The birds leave their nesting area to form larger roosting flocks with other Rooks and Jackdaws.
A more permanent departure from a Rookery could potentially be explained by major changes in their environment, significant disturbances or other causes that vary by case.
Similar Birds
References
- 2 3 4
website: BirdLife International. 2017. Corvus frugilegus (amended version of 2016 assessment). The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2017: e.T22705983A118782308.
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website, 2010: Fransson et al., EURING list of longevity records for European birds
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