Is this a Crook ? !!

[john robinson]

Bit of a surprise today. The male rook was displaying to the other and looking at the shots afterwards I realised something was different. The bird at the front looks like a CrowxRook hybrid. to me . First time I,ve heard of this. Any one else ?
What do you call it - a Crook ?

[Colin Key]

Bog-standard immature (2nd cy) Rook to me.

Colin

[john robinson]

Colin
I'm not a bird ID man by any means but I,ve never seen a Rook of any age with a feathered top mandible. I have also not seen a Crow with a bare throat patch and base to the bill. The bill is also thinner, and there is a darker sheen around the eye which crows don't have. Also fluffy Rook type thighs but not that visible and thinner neck.
Open to debate.
Cheers
John

[Colin Key]

John,

The feathered upper mandible is one of the main ID criteria of juvenile Rook. The overall bill shape is certainly not "crow" and is very characteristic of Rook in that it is relatively long and slim. The front bird also has the "peaked crown" typical of a Rook of any age (and seperates it from other corvids).

Colin

[Colin Key]

P.S. Going to bed now - had enough birds for one day, thank you.

Colin :smile::beer:

[john robinson]

Looks like its a late moulting Rook then ?
Seems like a few birds retain the juv plumage after the first year. Wrong again.

Cheers
JohnR