Jackdaws, Daffodils and Church Steeples | Wordsworth | Grasmere

The Jackdaw:

“Jupiter announced that he intended to appoint a king over the birds, and named a day on which they were to appear before his throne, when he would select the most beautiful of them all to be their ruler. Wishing to look their best on the occasion they repaired to the banks of a stream, where they busied themselves in washing and preening their feathers.

The Jackdaw was there along with the rest, and realised that, with his ugly plumage, he would have no chance of being chosen as he was: so he waited till they were all gone, and then picked up the most gaudy of the feathers they had dropped, and fastened them about his own body, with the result that he looked gayer than any of them.

When the appointed day came, the birds assembled before Jupiter’s throne; and, after passing them in review, he was about to make the Jackdaw king, when all the rest set upon the king-elect, stripped him of his borrowed plumes, and exposed him for the Jackdaw that he was.”

The Vain Jackdaw | Aesop’s Fables

Wordsworth Memorial Daffodil Garden:

Occupying a tranquil area between St. Oswald’s churchyard in Grasmere and the River Rothay, lies the Wordsworth Memorial Daffodil Garden. One quiet, beautiful March day, I rested upon a bench, silently admiring the yellow carpet of flowers. Before long, Jackdaws swooped down to take advantage of the sea salt crunchion crumbs dropped by my daughter. Soon a flock of Jackdaws filled the daffodil swept lawn and trotted to and fro in anticipation of food.

The Jackdaw in the photograph was unquestionably vain: for he posed upon his perch for some time. Contrasting against their black plumage, the eyes of the Jackdaw are striking. Recent research has revealed that Jackdaws use their pale irides to communicate. Watching the Jackdaws, it is obvious how competitive their struggle for life is. And evidence suggests in this competitive struggle; Jackdaws, use salient eyes to ward off other Jackdaws and avoid conflict. Jackdaws are shown to be sensitive to eye gaze direction in humans by delaying their approach to food when an unfamiliar human is looking towards them: Source.

Partners for Life:

Jackdaws make loyal partners and pair for life and share food. Even during times where they produce no young, divorce seldom occurs. Maybe due to the time invested together? Jackdaws show much higher levels of active giving than documented for chimpanzees. Although not fully understood, it is compatible with hypotheses of mutualism, reciprocity and harassment avoidance.

Jackdaws usually nest in colonies with monogamous pairs collaborating to locate a nest site. Scarcity in nest sites means they are defended from other pairs and predators most of the year. They favour sheltered areas for nest sites, including cavities in trees or cliffs and ruined or occupied buildings and chimneys. The Jackdaw was once called the “Chimney Bird”. They regularly nest in church steeples St. Oswald’s being an ideal site.

There is an instinctual hierarchy in Jackdaws. Unmatched females are harassed and food rarely shared with them. Moreover, once a female takes a mate, she automatically ascends the equal status of the male. The female then becomes automatically domineering over those beneath her newly acquired status. 

The Jackdaw maybe a common crow: nevertheless, they are highly intelligent and equally bewitching.

“Thrice happy bird! I too have seen

 Much of the vanities of men;

 And, sick of having seen ’em,

 Would cheerfully these limbs resign

 For such a pair of wings as thine

 And such a head between ’em.”

The Jackdaw | William Cowper  

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