FACTS ON LIFE AT A ROOKERY
Many thanks to Clare from New Zealand for sending this in …
This Rookery must be almost as old as the trees the Rooks roost in. The present farmer shoots Pheasants & Rabbits - but never Rooks. He believes secretly that the Rookery brings him luck, and although in a bad year it may be reduced to three or four pairs – still the chain stretches back as far as his Ancestors … and not a link has been broken.
The Rooks add to the exuberance of spring and 20 metres up in the top most fork of the trees, old nests are being fortified, and new ones built by the three year old Rooks who have mated for the first time. The Nests are deep & bulky for they are laid on the foundations of several older Nests. It is alive with insects, grubs, Beetles and small flies which the Rooks Chicks will eat when they hatch out. However Rook Nests are not very durable,
as they do not build a mud lining on top of the twigs & sticks like Crows & Magpies. The property of each is the responsibility of all – this is one of the rules of the Rookery.
The females lay one egg a day until there are five. They are a dull turquoise colour with ash grey & brown blotches. It takes 16 to 18 days for an egg to develop into a Rook, and all this time the females are dependant on their mates for food which they carry in their throat pouch. It is important for the eggs to hatch at the same time – for a late arrival has little chance to survive … and High Winds are also deadly resulting in Egg Chilling or Collapsed Nests – with eggs just ready to hatch being lost. In fact, the odds are stacked heavily against them …. Four out of five Rook Chicks will probably die in the first six months of life from accident, starvation or disease.
The female broods them for at least 10 days, and the Male Rook roosts on a perch nearby. He cleans the nest removing the droppings (which are enclosed in membrane) in his throat pouch … and returns with worms, grubs, blowfly lavae & leatherjackets for the entire family. The female Rook feeds her young before herself, but the Male Rooks risk starvation … for they grow very thin with their efforts to provide for their families.
A Hawk approaches & circles the trees, but the Sentinel Rooks rise from their lookout positions to mob him … driving him off with flaps & angry cries.
The Rook Chicks are now over a month old; and partly fledged. As their flight feathers are developing, they are strong enough to leave the nest & sidle along a branch where they balance exercising their wings. – One false move & the Rook Chick will die quickly from the fall. Even if he miraculously survives – he still needs to be fed every four hours.
At forty days the Rook Chicks are fully grown, and ready to make their first short floppy flights. A breezy day is chosen for take-off; and a lot of squawking is heard and urging from anxious parents. They soon accompany their parents on short foraging expeditions, but will not be completely independent until they are five months old.
It is moulting season & extra supplies of food are required for Survival … The Rooks really feel the pinch – for the ground is baked so hard that they cannot probe it with their bills. A long hot Summer is as deadly as the depths of Winter to them. The Rook Scouts cover great distances in their search for food … it may be a journey of 30 kilometres there & back, but it will save the life of the Rookery this Summer.
On one fine morning – the grass appears to be Black with Rooks as a “Rook’s Parliament” is about to take place. … The Accused Rook hobbles about in the centre - making no attempt to fly even when he is pecked at by those familiar to him. The Rooks instinct to kill a sick or ailing Bird is one of Self-Preservation for the Rookery itself …. the penalty being Death !!
Rooks use live Ants to clean their feathers; pushing them under their wings to retrieve minute parasites and feather lice. The Rooks enjoy a bath in the Cattle Trough, but hate being damp, as they quickly lose their body heat. This is one of the reasons why they do not feed in long grass – preferring Open Grazed Pasture instead.
Rooks can foretell danger and after a Wet Windy Storm one day, the Rooks suddenly desert their Rookery – they all rise together and clatter out across the fields out of sight to safety. - This is known as an Outflight or Dread.
…. Suddenly on the Farm …. a Large Fir Tree collapses to the ground with a Thundering Crash. In the distance after a time - the Scouts make their report back to the other Rooks. … The Tree is now down, the Farm is quiet .. and the Danger has past.
So on one breezy afternoon, the Rooks all make their way back to the Rookery playing around in the breeze and their jubilant cries are heard once again … much to the Farmer’s relief and delight ….. for had the Rooks not returned – he feared his luck would have gone with them !!