One of Ireland’s most widespread garden birds, the Jackdaw (Name in Irish – Cág), is a small dark grey crow with a lighter nape and neck side, which clearly contrasts with a blackish forehead. These birds have very sturdy legs and strong beaks; are highly intelligent and in nature are social, both foraging and roosting with other bird life.
Measuring 34–39 centimetres (13–15 in) in length, Jackdaws forage in large flocks during the winter months, most often in the company of other species of crows.
The common name for the Jackdaw comes from two separate words: ‘Jack’ meaning “rogue” as it is a well-known, they steal shiny objects in particular, and ‘daw’, which is an imitation of their vocal call.
Jackdaws feed on a wide variety of foods includes small vertebrates, carrion, other birds eggs given the opportunity, fruit, seeds and food scraps. Their nesting areas include abandoned ruins, coastal cliffs, chimneys and woodlands, where they build simple nests of sticks.
Mr Jack Daw, pictured above, however, has obviously got wind of the soft and resilient body moulding, memory, foam mattress. With that knowledge he spent some time, today, tearing to shreds, a sheet of tissue paper. No doubt attempting to ensure that wife would have no sharp twigs sticking into her undercarriage.
Note also, in this particular case the bird has unusual grey feather markings. Possibly he is the son of another Jackdaw, who sadly died last year, and who had also displayed quite an array of grey feathers.
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