My Pet is a Rook
Aug 17th, 2008 by Birdy Trish
No! No! I don’t mean I have a pet rook. This is about a lady who took a half dead rook chick home to feed it.
It’s strange but twice within a period of two weeks I’ve heard of people looking after young rooks.
In this case the rook grew strong and she was hoping to turn it back out into the wild. Then one day she realised that she had left it too late. The Rook spoke to her. It spoke with such clarity it amazed her. It has been listening and had copied her speach. I won’t tell you what it said.
If you would like to know more about this book you can either click on the small image below or go to my Amazon uk bookshop which is on the right hand side of the page.
The book is called Corvus: A life With Birds by Esther Woolfson
Esther has shared her home with many birds and from the excerpts I have read this is an entertaining book. She must be mad about birds. Would you let a bird peck into the plaster in your hallway so that it could have a place to store it’s food. I thought not!
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Earlier in August I got an interesting question about feeding a young rook. Andy had found an injured young rook and was, at it turned out, feeding it a very good diet.
I’ve just heard that the rook is doing well -
I took the bird out of the cage today and held it for an examination
of the damage to its feathers. It showed a loss of feather at the tail
and wings.
Definate bite shaped losses which are pretty extensive. I do
think a moult will sort this
BUT means the bird may be too “socialised”
to go out to the wild. I will have to be careful with me contact, until
I am fully aware of the damage and determination of the bird to go.
He/she has a much better feather shine and is very alert and shows
little signs of stress with my visits to the cage.
I do make a little whistle and clicking sound, to alert it to my
approach, which seems to prevent shock etc.
I can understand your, and many other’s, dislike to the crow family.
Their reputation for colourful play and delicate eating habits are not
well known, to say the least, yet I can say that “ronnie” has shown
impeccable manners and has not pecked the hand that feeds, YET.
Great to keep in touch and thank you for your comments about my
offering.
All the best,
THANKS FOR KEEPING US UP TO DATE WITH RONNIE - Just don’t talk to Ronnie too much. You may find it talking back to you.
How long do Rooks live? Have you got a pet for life?
(Why am I pleased the rook is doing well then rooks in my garden annoy me no end)
I would never have thought anyone would raise a rook. It is amazing what people do. If i didn’t have my blog I would never have found out such interesting stuff.
I do know that rookeries are supposed to bring good luck. If a lot of rooks nest in the same area it is called a Rookery. We have a rookery near us. Sometimes the sound of the rooks and crows is so loud.
They say things come in threes. I hope I don’t find a young, injured rook. It is the last thing I need at the moment.
“Ronnie” the Rook.
I know what you are thinking, why give the bird a name. It is the worsed thing to do when it is the intent to return it to the wild. Yet, I feel better caring for something that has an identity that we (humans) can relate to, and not just be throwing a few scraps into a cage and hoping for the best. The fact that we are heading to the back end of the year I think the moult of “Ronnie’s” feathers would not be until next spring.
Today (Monday) he/she was not cowering to the back of the cage but standing confidently on the perch provided. Yesterday I took Ronnie out to the back garden and he/she launched itself from my hands and began skipping across the lawn, with Felix (our cat) in hot pursuit! I managed to rescue Ronnie from imminent death and calmed the situation down, returning the bird to the cage.
Ronnie continues to eat well and shows every indication of thriving.
Our swallows are fledging and sitting on our guttering waiting patiently for mum and dad to feed them.
I will be building a large aviary for the Rook to be able to fly in and strengthen its wings, and hopefully allow it to have as comfortable a life as possible.
The new book, Corvus: A life With Birds by Esther Woolfson looks very interesting and I have actually filled in an entry form for a copy, in a Bird publication that I take.
I believe Esther lives in Aberdeen, only 25 miles or so, from me.
Lovely to keep in touch, hope everyone is OK.
Bye for now, Andy.
MYTHALOGICAL ROOK
Apparently in ancient times the Rook was regarded with extreme reverence. Should a property have a “Rookery”, a large gathering of Rooks nesting on their land and this Rookery was driven away, drastic misfortune would fall upon the family there.
If a single Rook was to visit, it was said to be there to collect the sole of a righteous person.
Having recently took in a bedraggled Rook, I wonder if it is here to collect my sole? Assuming I am righteous enough!!!
Andy.
Hi Andy, thanks for this interesting / dramatic / funny news of Ronnie. I think it’s a good idea to give a bird a name. I had a blackbird with white on it visit a while ago. I think they are called albinos. So I called it ‘Al’
Glad you rescued the bird from being pounced on by a cat. Ronnie is sure lucky to have found a home. Glad he trusts you. You must be a dab hand at woodwork to make am aviary.
We have a rookery near us and I’ve heard that they bring you luck. It doesn’t seemed to have brought us much luck though. I’ve never heard of a rook coming to collect the sole of a righteous person though. I often have single rooks coming to my bird table and garden. Help! Let’s hope it’s just a myth, or as you say, lets hope we’re not righteous.
Hi Trish, I can tell you a little story and hope it doesn’t stray too much from your sites main theme.
I have always made my own bird boxes, bird tables and any other item required for the garden, including gazebos, arbours and the like. One time when making a simple bird box and using my trusty nail gun I fired a nail into an edge of a 10mm thick piece of wood, to hold the edges together. Unfortunately for me, having put my thumb to the back of the wood to steady it and the nail being 40mm long, it sunk its merry way into my flesh, As the shock hit me and my natural reaction took control I promptly fired two more nails into my thumb. OOOh! that hurt. Then I had to pull the embedded nails and affixed wood sections from my throbbing digit! Now that’s woodwork at its finest, blood and all! It took me three days to finish that retched bird box.
Andy (all healed now)
Hi Andy, It’s a wonder that it didn’t put you off do it yourself work for life. I stood on a nail once and I didn’t feel it at first. The nail just sank in!! So I can sympathise. Good on you for making bird boxes. The last one I bought wasn’t much good. May put of a photo of it on my blog. The hole in the bird box was rough and there were splinters. Good to hear from you. Trisha
Hi Trish
I just read that the Rook (Corvus frugilegus) is a member of the passerine family and “frugilegus” is Latin for “food-gathering!
Hi Tom, Fancy ‘food gathering’ being what the name means. Well it is certainly well named! Rooks just take over don’t they. I sometimes have loads come and they just take over. Thanks for letting me know that. Trisha
Hi Trish and Tom
How interesting it is to find out about the Rook. You know, since I have had “Ronnie” I have been facinated how he/she behaves. There is so much information out there, about the Crow family and I think they are really quite remarkable. Now that is something I would not have said before having Ronnie.
I will, from know on refer to Ronnie as him/he etc to save typing, unless it starts laying eggs!! Will keep you advised how things go with him.
Great chatting, back soon.
Andy.