Corvus frugilegus

Interesting facts: The rook is a winter guest from Eastern Europe in Middle Europe. Corvids historically were seen as a bad omen due to their black feathers. Today, they are targets because the farmers fear for their harvest. But besides seeds, the rook feeds on many insects and mice. Also nuts, fruits and carrion are on the menu. The colony breeding bird requires tall trees for nesting.

Characteristics: completely black plumage, with metallic shimmer and similar to the carrion crow, but steeper forehead and naked base of the beak in older birds; beak dark grey and pointed; legs dark grey to black; pokes on the ground with its beak

Body length: Longer than 30 cm (longer than a blackbird)

Distribution: During the winter month often in large swarms on ploughed fields and meadows, in the breeding area colonial breeder of the agricultural landscape