corvidaid. caring for corvids and other wildlife

Breeding

The nest is bulky, built using sticks and branches, with moss, wool and other soft materials included in the structure. It is built by both the male and female. Nests are usually built in tall trees, but have been found in many other places, including on cliffs, in bushes and even on the ground.

Clutches usually consist of two to seven eggs, greenish-blue in colour, speckled and blotched with brown and shades of grey and olive. These are laid as early as the end of March and the latest being around the end of May. The peak is in mid-April.

Incubation takes 18 to 20 days by the female, who is fed at the nest by the male. For around the first week, the young are fed on food bought by the male, though as the chicks get bigger, the female also joins the male in the search for food.

The young fledge at 32 to 36 days, but the parents continue to feed them for another four to five weeks. After this, they stay with their parents for a good few weeks after.