What does jackdaw mean?
A jackdaw is a small member of the crow family, recognized by its compact body, dark plumage, greyish nape, and unusually pale iris. It is widespread across Europe and parts of western Asia, and is often seen in pairs or groups around buildings, farmland, woodland edges, and old buildings. Jackdaws are adaptable, social birds with a varied diet, feeding on insects, seeds, scraps, and other readily available food. The word also has an older figurative meaning: a jackdaw could be a swindler or otherwise disreputable person, probably by association with the bird’s perceived cleverness or boldness. Although the name may cause some people to think of a generic crow, the jackdaw is a distinct species and is often distinguished by its paler eye and smaller, more slender form. It is a useful word for natural-history writing and for discussing the intelligence and adaptability of corvids.
nounA small crow-family bird with mostly black plumage, a grey nape, and a distinctive pale iris. In older usage, the word could also refer to a swindler, cheat, or sly rogue.
- A small crow-family bird with black and grey plumage, a pale iris, and a wide distribution across Europe and parts of western Asia.
- In older literary and colloquial usage, a swindler, cheat, or sly rogue.
"A jackdaw perched on the garden wall, watching the birdsong with an alert, pale-eyed stare."
"The jackdaws gathered in the old oak, their pale eyes bright against their dark feathers."
"In the old novel, the term 'jackdaw' was used for a sly confidence trickster."
The standard plural of the noun.
"Several jackdaws called from the chimney."
A jackdaw may look like a small crow, but its strikingly pale eye gives this social corvid a permanent look of surprise.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does jackdaw come from?
The compound jackdaw has been recorded since the early modern period. It is generally understood as a combination of 'jack' and 'daw', an older English name associated with a magpie-like bird; in modern English, 'daw' survives chiefly in this compound and in a few related bird names. The word's figurative sense for a cheat or rogue developed from the traditional reputation of jackdaws as bold, opportunistic birds.
How jackdaw is actually used
The ornithological sense is standard in British and American English. The figurative sense is archaic or literary and is uncommon in modern usage.
Easily confused with jackdaw
A jackdaw is a smaller, mostly dark crow-family bird with a pale iris, whereas a magpie is generally longer-tailed and conspicuously black and white.