PotHunter96 Posted April 8, 2012 Report Share Posted April 8, 2012 hi all theres lots of rooks and jackdaws in our fields (all grass) and i was wondering do rooks or jackdaws take eggs or cause damage to livestock or wild birds. i keep down the carrion crow and magpie numbers but wonder if i should keep down the jackdaws and rooks although a lot of people say rooks do a lot more good than bad. thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scolopax Posted April 8, 2012 Report Share Posted April 8, 2012 I would go with the advice you have already been given. Compared to Carrion crows all the other corvids are minor offenders, and rooks and jackdaws especially so. They will all eat eggs but rooks and jackdaws do not actively hunt them out like Carrions do. So keep as you are doing and concentrate on the Carrions, they are the real villians. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beretta28g Posted April 8, 2012 Report Share Posted April 8, 2012 Carrions and Magpies are the ones to really hit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cranfield Posted April 8, 2012 Report Share Posted April 8, 2012 Rooks do eat eggs, but cause a lot of damage on emerging cereals, barley and oats especially. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blunderbuss Posted April 8, 2012 Report Share Posted April 8, 2012 Rooks do eat eggs, but cause a lot of damage on emerging cereals, barley and oats especially. Isn't there a theory that they are actually digging out leather jackets and other soil pests, thus actually doing some good? Playing Devils advocate, here - I don't actually know one way or the other but I do remember reading that somewhere Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PotHunter96 Posted April 8, 2012 Author Report Share Posted April 8, 2012 Isn't there a theory that they are actually digging out leather jackets and other soil pests, thus actually doing some good? Playing Devils advocate, here - I don't actually know one way or the other but I do remember reading that somewhere yes i remember reading that to its just ive also heard there a menace but i think i will leave the rooks im just not sure about the jackdaws Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hedd-wyn Posted April 8, 2012 Report Share Posted April 8, 2012 The landowner on my permission claims that they ruin his big bales by poking holes through the plastic sheet. This the reason he wants me to shoot them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wildfowler.250 Posted April 8, 2012 Report Share Posted April 8, 2012 (edited) Baited a crow trap with eggs and caught a rook instantly,(same afternoon). May not be as bad as crows but they are deniately not shy of an egg either. Edited April 8, 2012 by wildfowler.250 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hedd-wyn Posted April 8, 2012 Report Share Posted April 8, 2012 Baited a crow trap with eggs and caught a took instantly,(same afternoon). May not be as bad as crows but they are deniately not shy of an egg either. Come on mate, giv'em a break. It's easter! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PotHunter96 Posted April 8, 2012 Author Report Share Posted April 8, 2012 so do people reckon i should cull a few while i,m up at the farm this week??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cranfield Posted April 8, 2012 Report Share Posted April 8, 2012 Isn't there a theory that they are actually digging out leather jackets and other soil pests, thus actually doing some good? Playing Devils advocate, here - I don't actually know one way or the other but I do remember reading that somewhere I have heard that, but also that they are after the milky grain. Either way large areas of crops can be ruined. They are on the General Licence for a reason. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wildfowler.250 Posted April 8, 2012 Report Share Posted April 8, 2012 Come on mate, giv'em a break. It's easter! :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the enigma Posted April 8, 2012 Report Share Posted April 8, 2012 (edited) Isn't there a theory that they are actually digging out leather jackets and other soil pests, thus actually doing some good? Playing Devils advocate, here - I don't actually know one way or the other but I do remember reading that somewhere Yeah,they do go after leather jackets.If you watch them on an established crop,you can see them turning over clods, looking for grubs. But unfortunately,the damage they do to newly drilled crops and then later in the year,prior to harvest, far out ways any benefits. Edited April 8, 2012 by the enigma Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frenchieboy Posted April 10, 2012 Report Share Posted April 10, 2012 (edited) I believe that ALL corvids will steal eggs if given the chance. Some are more guilty of this offence than others but they all like to feast on eggs whenever they are available. Some will even go into poultry houses to steal the eggs as the second video shows. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vSRQrKDUdL8 Edited April 10, 2012 by Frenchieboy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobthedug Posted April 11, 2012 Report Share Posted April 11, 2012 I keep hens and the worse culprits were the crows. Jackdaws were always hanging around but they looked as if they were eating the eggs which got dropped by the crows! I was losing nearly all my eggs until I eventually netted over my entire hen run. Once the crows had worked out how to enter the nest boxes via the pop hole in the hutch, there was no stopping them. They are rather smart. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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