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Rook

Corvus frugilegus

Migratory

Found at Neolithic WF16

Rooks prefer flat and open country, such as river plains with tall trees or patches of woodland for nesting and roosting. They are highly gregarious birds and will nest close together in large colonies. They are a rare winter visitor to northern Jordan, with the nearest breeding populations within the northern Levant.

One bone of a possible Rook was recovered from the WF16 excavations, which means this species was likely travelling further south or even a resident of the region between 12,000 and 10,000 years ago. Corvids, like the Rook, are highly intelligent birds and have been known to use tools to acquire their food.

 A toe bone of a Rook found at WF16

Image credit: ‘Rook’ by John Haslam via Flickr, CC BY 2.0