noun
jackdaw
JAK-daw/ˈdʒækdɔː/
A small Eurasian crow with grayish markings.
A jackdaw perches on the roof, showing its gray neck.
Etymology
Jack adds a familiar personal name to daw, an older word for this small crow. Daw may imitate the bird’s cry, linking the name to its conspicuous call.
In context
Its plumage is a dark, glossy black, catching hues of purple and blue in the sun. Around the neck, a silvery-gray nape forms a striking hood, setting the jackdaw apart from other corvids.
More examples
- Several jackdaws gather in the field to feed.
- A pair of jackdaws nests in the old church tower.
- We spot a jackdaw during our walk through the English village.
Forms
jackdaw · jackdaws
Similar words
- crow
- A broader term that does not identify this particular species.