What's got into the jackdaws today?

Sat 4 Jul, 21:36

AI tells me that: 

Jackdaws in the UK are currently in their post-fledging period, meaning newly independent young are out and about, begging loudly for food and chattering with adults.

Jackdaws are incredibly vocal and sociable corvids. When they gather to roost in the evening, they use a "voting" system where they call out to each other. Once the noise volume reaches a critical crescendo, the entire flock takes flight in unison.

Juvenile jackdaws are notoriously loud. Right now, family groups and large "clatterings" (the collective noun for jackdaws) are gathering on chimneys and trees, with young birds calling continuously to be fed.

They are highly gregarious and intelligent birds that enjoy swirling in the wind, playing in large groups, and loudly debating the best feeding grounds at dawn and dusk.

I adore them

Sat 4 Jul, 17:43

They like to roost in our trees and we love to hear their noisy chatter as they gradually settle down - and then a brief kerfuffle when latecomers arrive. Like children settling down on a school trip. They're full of character and as Michele says incredibly intelligent.

Sat 4 Jul, 10:22

My sister who lives 16 miles south of here also mentioned that her jackdaws had been especially noisy and active a few weeks ago too, so whatever had gotten them flustered is clearly a regional event 

Sat 4 Jul, 09:19

Couldn't agree with you more, Anu. It's like living in a Hitchcock movie. I can't remember the last time I heard gentle birdsong. Replaced with screeching all day and frightening off small garden birds. I have had to give up with my garden bird feeder.

Fri 3 Jul, 23:04

Apparently they squawk before dusk until everyone agrees to leave and then set off to roost , swirling round as they go.

 The group is called a clattering, I like them. They can reputedly recognise individual human faces so it might be wise not to annoy them!

Fri 3 Jul, 11:48

They do seem to have quietened down now to normal levels of noisiness but their raucous, restless behaviour over the last couple of weeks has been extraordinary.  Jim Holah suggests it was fledging behaviour but fledging is an annual event and I don't remember it ever being like this.  

The earthquake didn't occur (at least, not here mercifully).   Has anyone got any other theories?

Thu 2 Jul, 18:21

Anu ... maybe the jackdaws will suffer a CORVID epidemic ...

Thu 2 Jul, 15:45

Corvids are an extremely intelligent species -- they can use tools, recognize faces, and choose specific materials when building their nests. I absolutely love it when the great murmurations (technically really only starlings do this) of them swoop over the house. 

Thu 2 Jul, 12:13

Here’s a thought on the Corvid friends…they don’t like Red Kites and can frequently be seen mobbing a lone Kite. Recently I have noticed a plethora of Kites along our roads, just as they used to cluster in South Oxfordshire where we lived before moving to God’s Vineyard. Perhaps there is a rallying of the Corvids for a full scale assault on the Kites? I feel there is a childrens’ book in there…

Wed 1 Jul, 23:21 (last edited on Fri 3 Jul, 09:50)

The Jackdaws really need culling. There are far too many of them and they are upsetting the smaller bird breeds as well.

Thu 18 Jun, 07:37 (last edited on Thu 18 Jun, 07:38)

It's not only jackdaws that are forming the noisy gangs but rooks as well.

As we are not feeding seeds at the moment we are putting out mealworms onto our bird-table instead; they certainly attract jackdaws but the rooks also appear in a gang of about a dozen at a time, making a heck of a noise.

We've tried keeping them out of the bird-table with wire netting but they're too strong and have managed to pull it off and scoff all the grub in minutes so we've stopped feeding anything for now!

Wed 17 Jun, 19:46

Or echoes of Bodega Bay. Don't go up into your loft.

Wed 17 Jun, 17:46 (last edited on Wed 17 Jun, 17:47)

......the street boys of the bird world - squabbling, competing, disturbing, bossing each other -fascinating to watch and remember ones youth!!

Wed 17 Jun, 16:32

Fledging......

Wed 17 Jun, 14:23

Crazy and noisy since dawn.  Earthquake coming?