over almost whole Europe and wide areas of Asia widespread is the rooks living sociably in often large flocks.
Shape These approximately 46 cm long raven-birds differ in its size and the everywhere dark plumage of the smaller Dohlen, with which they very often are socialized. From other crows, especially the carrion crows, rooks let themselves hold apart on the basis of the metallic glimmer on its plumage as well as at the (with adult animals) unbefiederten of whitish beak-root. Young rooks still have a (no wear-appearance) brownish youth-dress and a befiederten beak-base in the first year of life, but the feathers are canceled there already in the first winter; the plumage gets its typical violet metal-shine only with birds of several years. Another contrast to carrion crows is the stomach-plumage ("pants") hanging shaggy over the legs.
Reproduction Rooks brood in often very much individuenreichen colonies on high trees of open culture-landscapes. Also in old, big foliage-trees of forests, parks and even in the crowns of high street-trees, rooks position its extensive brushwood-nests from time to time. Mainly the male creates Nistmaterial here (also earth) grass, leaves u. ä.) that of the female partner is processed. The Nistmulde dress rooks with hair, moss and such from. From March (in the north until May), exclusively the female bird begins with the brood (17-20 days); the nest consists of 3-5 eggs. The nest-stools become fully-fledged with 29-35 days, some days in the brood-colony (crows) still remain after it, however.
Food Rooks like to look for animal food and also after Sämereien as omnivores in the relaxed ground. From time to time, they therefore harvest also newly aimed seed; however, the damage prepared with it is more inferior than this with big likelihood through the annihilation from Schadinsekten and its larvae of won benefits. Particularly the dumps of cities are scanned eagerly after edible from spending the winter rooks. There, they then are frequent in big swarms with Dohlen and seagulls, socializes in the east also with vultures.
Hikes, occurrences Rooks and Dohlen from eastern brood-areas (Ukraine, white-Russia) move westward from September-November where they meet in the surroundings of cities in roosts to flocks (from many thousand animals). In March until April, they hike again into its summery spread-areas back. The situation of the roosts and brood-colonies remains usually gotten away unchanged over many years.
Scientific name: