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The Rook, ( Corvus frugilegus ) and the Crow ( Corvus frugilegus )are large black birds and easily confused. There is an old country saying that 'one Rook is a Crow and a flock of Crows are Rooks'! Though there is some substance in this maxim, Rooks being highly gregarious and the Carrion Crow a comparatively solitary species, it is not a totally reliable means of distinguishing them, and other points need to be looked for. One of the most obvious differences is the greyish patch of bare skin on this bird's face, readily seen at rest or in flight. Young birds do not have this however, and somewhat resemble the Carrion Crow; but the more slender bill, and the loose feathers about the flanks which give a "baggy-trousers' appearance at all ages, should serve to separate the two species. Rooks are also most often to be seen in the fields, sometimes several hundred strong, moving about with a sedate walk and an occasional hop, probing here and digging there, searching for worms, leather jackets or other insect larvae. Cereal roots and other vegetable matter are also taken. The flight is slow and deliberate, flocks flying in loose straggling formations. In winter Rooks roost together, usually near a rookery, often with Jackdaws. Extract from RSPB Complete Birds of Britain by Rob Hume and The Collins Gem Guide. Birds. British Birds A Field Guide by Alan J Richards. |
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