Corvid ID - Dublin (1 Viewer)

[SeanG]

Is the corvid in the middle of the jackdaws a carrion crow or a first winter rook?
Thanks in advance

 

[pianoman]

Is the corvid in the middle of the jackdaws a carrion crow or a first winter rook?
Thanks in advance

I can see the start of some shaggy "trousers" and a hint of purple sheen, so my vote would be for Rook. I can still be fooled by those juvenile Rooks though.

 

[SeanG]

I can see the start of some shaggy "trousers" and a hint of purple sheen, so my vote would be for Rook. I can still be fooled by those juvenile Rooks though.

Thanks, don't see enough of them in Dublin to be 100% sure

 

[ApusApus]

Stout curved culmin would suggest Carrion Crow to me!


Shane

 

[SeanG]

Stout curved culmin would suggest Carrion Crow to me!


Shane

Thanks Shane

 

[HH75]

Hi Sean,
This is a 1st-winter Rook for me, for the reasons pointed out earlier and also note the head shape compared to a Carrion (or Hooded) Crow, with an obvious crown peak.
Regards,
Harry

 

[SeanG]

Hi Sean,
This is a 1st-winter Rook for me, for the reasons pointed out earlier and also note the head shape compared to a Carrion (or Hooded) Crow, with an obvious crown peak.
Regards,
Harry

Thanks Harry

 

[stevethehydra]

That bill is massive! Doesn't look right for either species to me, unless a bill can actually get smaller in the transition from juv/first-winter to adult?

Small, "peaked" head, "trousers", and general lanky/angular, long-winged jizz all suggest Rook over CC to me, but if it's not a Rook, I wonder about an escaped "exotic" like a Large-billed Crow or something... ?!

 

[Butty]

The field-guide 'rules' for identifying crow-type corvids just don't seem to apply with some confusing birds that you see in the (actual) field. Frankly, I'd just leave this one alone if this is the only photo to go on.

 

[P T Treloar]

Looks like a Raven to me.

 

[Jon Turner]

Looks like a Raven to me.

I thought that too, although it should stand out more than that in a flock of Jackdaws.

 

[John Tindale]

Raven comes to mind with that bill. However, it should be massive compared to those Jackdoors!

 

[Butty]

See my point...?

 

[paddyluke]

i would say carrion crow All about the Carrion crow - GardenBird

 

[stevethehydra]

It's not big enough to be a Raven, and the size of the bill is more length than depth. It honestly does look a lot like a Large-billed Crow!

I'm thinking though that the most likely thing is a young Rook with a possibly somewhat overgrown bill - I wondered about the long bristles, but various online images of juv Rooks also show this, if not a bill of such overall length...

 

[Alexander Stöhr]

Hello,
what an interesting bird for me: thanks for sharing!
I agree with the others, that a 1 cy Rook is the best fit, but what a massive bill.
A Raven doesnt look like the real deal here, imo:

• it seems too small, even for a small juvenile (? right or wrong)
• And after reading the answer from Harry, I realized the crown peak results in a head shape bad for a Raven and good for a Rook

I hope this doesnt out as an offense, but I hope for others with massive experience with exotic Crows to jump in. I havent, but know, there are similar species in other parts of the world.

 

[pianoman]

You'd also have to take probability into account too - CC is much less common than Hooded Crow or Rook in Ireland. So one needs good reasons to say Carrion Crow.

 

[SeanG]

You'd also have to take probability into account too - CC is much less common than Hooded Crow or Rook in Ireland. So one needs good reasons to say Carrion Crow.

Hi folks

Here is another photo I got of the bird, with a hooded crow for comparison. maybe this might help.

 

[SeanG]

Hi folks

Here is another photo I got of the bird, with a hooded crow for comparison. maybe this might help.

 

[pianoman]

Yes that helps a lot! reinforces the Rook idea, the bill somehow doesn't look so large in comparison now.