
More birds
Learn about the other bird species you could find in your local wood.
Find more birdsFlocks of these noisy black birds are a common sight across the UK countryside.
Adult rooks have whitish-grey patches at the base of their bills (Photo: northeastwildlife.co.uk)
A rook's flight includes lots of aerial acrobatics including twisting and tumbling (Photo: northeastwildlife.co.uk)
Their nests are called rookeries and look like scruffy groups of sticks at the tops of trees (Photo: northeastwildlife.co.uk)
Common name: rook
Scientific name: Corvus frugilegus
Family: Corvidae (crows, jays and magpies)
Head: Rooks have a black head with a distinctive grey-white beak. This is the easiest way to tell them apart from the similar carrion crow, which has an all-black beak.
Wings: Rooks appear all back from a distance, but an iridescent sheen is notable when seen up close.
Body: A relatively large bird, rooks are just slightly smaller than crows, with a typical wing-span of around 31cm.
With close to a million pairs living in the UK, the rook is a common bird and can be seen in farmland and open woodland across the country. Rooks are more social than carrion crows and are normally seen in large flocks.
Worms, beetles and other invertebrates are the species’ main prey, which it catches by probing the ground with its large beak. Rooks will also feed on grain, carrion, small mammals and birds.
Rooks breed communally, normally building their nests high in the tree tops. These nesting sites are known as rookeries. Rooks will typically build their nests in February or March, but may start as early as January. The beginning of nest building is something that we are recording through the Nature’s Calendar project, which relies on the public recording sightings of certain species, behaviour and events to help scientists better understand the impact of weather and climate change on wildlife. Why not get involved and record your sightings?
Help us track the effects of weather and climate change on wildlife. Let us know what's happening near you and see your sightings on the map.
Learn about the other bird species you could find in your local wood.
Find more birdsKnow your goldcrests from your goshawks with our pocket-sized guide to woodland birds - perfect for budding young birders.
Get your copyFrom badgers and bats to dormice and deer, you may encounter these creatures in a wood near you.
Explore woodland mammalsTake part in Nature's Calendar and help scientists monitor the effects of climate change on wildlife.
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