# Rook (*Corvus frugilegus*)

The rook (*Corvus frugilegus*) is a bird of the crow family, Corvidae, in the order Passeriformes.

> The rook (Corvus frugilegus) is a sociable black crow of Europe and Asia, told from the carrion crow by the bare, greyish-white skin at the base of its bill. Rooks nest in noisy colonies called rookeries in the tops of tall trees and feed in flocks on farmland. They weigh about 340–530 g and typically live around 6 years. Rooks are listed as Least Concern.

- **Category:** Bird
- **Conservation status (IUCN-style):** Least Concern
- **Range:** Farmland across Europe and temperate Asia east to China and Korea; introduced to New Zealand.
- **Canonical HTML:** https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/rook/
- **Last reviewed:** 2026-07-16

## Scientific classification

- **Kingdom:** Animalia
- **Phylum:** Chordata
- **Class:** Aves
- **Order:** Passeriformes
- **Family:** Corvidae
- **Genus:** Corvus

## Facts at a glance

| Attribute | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Scientific name | Corvus frugilegus |
| Diet | Omnivore: grain, earthworms, insect larvae, seeds |
| Habitat | Farmland and grassland with clumps of tall trees |
| Size | About 47 cm long; wingspan 81–94 cm |
| Weight | 337–531 g |
| Lifespan | Typically 6 years; oldest ringed bird nearly 23 |
| Conservation status | Least Concern (IUCN Red List, assessed 2025) |

## How to tell a rook

Adult rooks are glossy black with a purple sheen, a slender, pointed bill and a patch of bare, greyish-white skin around its base. Loose 'trouser' feathers on the thighs and a peaked crown also help separate them from carrion crows, which have feathered bill bases and neater legs. Young rooks have feathered faces until their first spring.

## Rookeries

Rooks are colonial. Pairs build stick nests close together in the tops of tall trees, and the same rookery may be used for generations. Colonies are noisy in early spring, when birds repair nests, steal sticks from neighbours and call with a harsh 'kaah'.

## Feeding in flocks

Flocks walk across fields probing for earthworms and insect larvae such as leatherjackets, and they also eat spilt grain and seeds. In winter rooks often roost communally with jackdaws, flying in at dusk in large, calling flocks.

## Status

BirdLife International lists the rook as Least Concern (2025), estimating 38 to 71 million mature birds across Europe and Asia, but reports a decreasing trend. BTO ringing data give a typical life expectancy of 6 years; the oldest ringed rook lived 22 years and 11 months.

## Frequently asked questions

### What is the difference between a rook and a crow?

Rooks have bare, pale skin at the base of the bill, a more peaked head and shaggy thigh feathers. Carrion crows have a fully feathered, heavier bill and a flatter crown. Rooks are usually seen in flocks; crows more often alone or in pairs.

### What is a rookery?

A colony of rook nests, usually high in a group of tall trees. The word is also used for colonies of other animals, such as penguins and seals.

### Are rooks intelligent?

Yes. Like other crows, rooks solve problems well; captive rooks have been shown to make and use simple tools in experiments.

### How long do rooks live?

BTO ringing data give a typical life expectancy of 6 years, and the oldest ringed rook lived almost 23 years.

## Sources

- [BirdLife International (2026). Species factsheet: Rook Corvus frugilegus. BirdLife DataZone. Checked 1 November 2026.](https://datazone.birdlife.org/species/factsheet/rook-corvus-frugilegus)
- [Animal Diversity Web: Corvus frugilegus. University of Michigan Museum of Zoology.](https://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Corvus_frugilegus/)
- [BTO BirdFacts: Rook. British Trust for Ornithology.](https://www.bto.org/learn/about-birds/birdfacts/rook)
- Tobias, J. A. et al. (2022). AVONET: morphological, ecological and geographical data for all birds. Ecology Letters 25: 581–597. doi:10.1111/ele.13898
- [Gill, F., Donsker, D. & Rasmussen, P. (Eds). IOC World Bird List v15.2.](https://www.worldbirdnames.org/new/)

## Help protect the Rook

Even familiar animals lose ground as wild habitat keeps shrinking worldwide.

[Donate to wildlife protection](https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/donate/)

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Source: Global Animal Guide (https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/rook/). Licensed CC BY-NC 4.0 — free for non-commercial reuse with attribution.