The rook is a large crow that makes a big nest out of twigs in the top of trees, and gathers in large colonies known as 'rookeries'; they often nest in villages and graveyards, but are also birds of farmland and grassland. The male courts the female with a display of strutting, bowing and cawing, and between three and five eggs are laid after mating. Rooks are omnivorous and feed on insects, earthworms, seeds and root crops, sometimes caching their food for later.
How to identify
The rook can be distinguished from the similar carrion crow by its pale bill and bare, grey bill-base, and the 'baggy trousers' of feathers around its legs.
Did you know?
A group of rooks together is known as a parliament.
