The jackdaw is a clever, chimney-nesting crow that can recognize individual human faces.

Nature · Published 3 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: Smaller than their cousins the rooks and crows, western jackdaws are social, intelligent birds known for their silvery-grey napes and pale eyes. They are surprisingly comfortable around humans, often nesting in chimneys or buildings, and possess the remarkable cognitive ability to distinguish between different human faces.

The western jackdaw, or Coloeus monedula, is a member of the crow family that stands out for its unique social intelligence. While many corvids are known for their problem-solving skills, jackdaws have been specifically observed using tools and demonstrating the capacity to recognize individual human faces. These birds are highly gregarious, often living in small groups with complex social structures. They are omnivorous, opportunistic feeders that consume everything from insects and seeds to food waste found in urban environments.

Physically, the jackdaw is a compact bird, measuring about 34 centimeters in length with a wingspan of 70 centimeters. They are easily identified by their black plumage, which is contrasted by a distinctive grey nape and pale, blue-grey eyes. Their name reflects their vocal nature; the term 'jackdaw' is thought to combine 'jack,' denoting a small form, with 'daw,' an onomatopoeic reference to their familiar 'tchack' or metallic call. Historically, they were even linked to currency by Carl Linnaeus, who gave them the binomial name Corvus monedula, derived from the Latin word for money, due to a perceived fondness for picking up coins.

Jackdaws are well-adapted to human proximity, frequently nesting in chimneys, churches, and other buildings, which has earned them nicknames like the 'chimney-sweep bird.' While they are generally resident birds, northern and eastern populations may migrate south during winter. Their behavior is often described as playful, featuring tumbling aerobatics in flight. In the winter, they gather in large groups to roost, sometimes joining rooks to perform noisy display flights at dawn and dusk. Modern genetic studies have confirmed their distinct status, leading to their classification in the genus Coloeus, separate from the core Corvus clade.

General information, not professional advice. Spotted an error? Flag the card or see corrections and complaints.

Intellect Plus is a visual educational discovery platform for exploring fascinating facts and ideas. Brain Food, Not Brain Rot. What is Intellect Plus?

Related

• The American Crow is a master of tool use, cooperation, and complex social lives.
• Is the hooded crow a distinct species or just a grey-clad carrion crow?
• Why the rook is the most sociable and distinct member of the crow family
• Why corvids are among the most intelligent birds on the planet
• Despite their crow-like appearance, these Australian birds are not related to ravens at all.
• How whiptail stingrays hunt in total darkness using invisible electric fields
• The prehistoric fish that shocked the world by refusing to stay extinct
• Why these long-legged ducks are causing a stir in the world of bird taxonomy
• The Wels catfish is a prehistoric giant lurking in Europe's rivers and lakes
• The white-eye is a bird family so uniform that scientists often struggle to distinguish them.
• The hidden dragon beneath your feet: why the weever fish is a beach menace.
• Why the white-eyelid mangabey is not as closely related to other mangabeys as believed

More in Vertebrates · More in Nature · Latest · A–Z · All topics