The Lincolnshire Bird Club

Just witnessed a group of 8 rooks clammering around in the top of a couple of pine trees in the garden, they seemed to be searching for something, the first one left followed immediately by the rest, and they were all carrying off pine cones. Rooks often sit in the trees in the garden however this is the first time i have noted this behaviour. i was unaware that this was part of their diet.

cheers, george

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George Rutter

Hi George - this was a new one for me so I had a look on Google! There is a paper in the Journal of Zoology by GA Lincoln in 1980 that comment on this behaviour. It was a bit beyond me as the paper is entitled "Endocrine changes associated with spring and autumn sexuality of the Rook"!! So now you know!

Hi Stuart,

Thanks for your research into this behaviour.
What was interesting was the way they all took off together each with its own cone. I presume they would hammer the cones to get the small seeds out, not gracefully like a crossbill.
Its another case of a common bird doing something unusual or unexpected.

Cheers, George.

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George Rutter