more questions

[lastcornishman]

Hi all, is this a Stonechat? and, Crow or Raven, Crow or Raven? only one way to find out!, ask the experts. thanks L.

[bob.phillips]

I would say Stonechat is right and 'probably' a carrion crow.

Regards,

Bob P.

[RobS]

The first one is a male Stonechat the other one, to me, looks like a Rook but in that light I can't see the pale patch around its beak.

I'll have another look.

Rob S

[RobS]

The head shape is a Rook's.

[Picidae]

The first is indeed a male Stonechat

The second is a Rook. If you look at the bill, it's sharp/pointed with a straight culmen. Cf. to Raven and Carrion Crows, which both have curved upper mandibles/culmens, the Rook is quite easy to distinquish with good views.

[lastcornishman]

Oh silly me!!, i never noticed the paler bill neither, see loads of rooks too, thanks people, nice to clear things up, cheers L.

[Picidae]

Originally Posted by lastcornishman

Oh silly me!!, i never noticed the paler bill neither, see loads of rooks too, thanks people, nice to clear things up, cheers L.

But do also note the bill shape which is all you can see in this image! The 'pale' patch may vary depending on age and lighting in the field etc (shine can often make a black bill pale too) but structure doesn't. It's possible to separate them on just a silhouette image.

[Hedgehoggy]

Bit late with my penneth worth here, but for what it's worth, asides the steeper forehead and bill shape of the rook as already pointed out, you can also differentiate between a rook and a carrion crow by the shape of their tails - rooks have round-shaped tail feathers whereas crows have neat square ones (don't know the correct terminology for what I'm referring to, but I'm sure you all know what I mean anyway!!)