Focus on...winter corvid roosts
11 Feb 2016
The pre-roost displays by Starlings receive justified attention during the winter months. At the same time, members of the crow family gather in equally spectacular numbers at roost sites throughout the country. The roosts appear to be dominated by juvenile and other non-breeding birds and are thought to act as an 'information exchange centre' to increase foraging success for birds lacking a territory.
Notable sites to see corvid roosts include Newborough Warren in Anglesey where up to 2,000 Ravens can gather. In East Anglia, tens of thousands of Rooks, Jackdaws and Carrion Crows gather at the RSPB reserves of Lakenheath Fen and Buckenham Marshes and this video gives a flavour of the spectacle at the latter. Finally, if you are unsure of your corvid identification, you can watch this excellent BTO Bird ID video to learn how best to seperate Rook and Carrion Crow for example.
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