Western jackdaw

The western jackdaw is a clever little crow with silvery-gray feathers on its head, found across Europe and parts of Asia and North Africa. Unlike some birds, it mostly stays put year-round, though northern flocks head south in winter. Its name comes from old words meaning 'small daw,' a nod to its compact size among crows.

• Four subspecies vary slightly in how light or dark their head feathers are.
• Northern populations migrate southward when the weather turns cold.
• Its scientific name, Coloeus monedula, was given by Linnaeus.