1
: either of two common black and gray birds (Corvus monedula or C. dauuricus) of Eurasia and northern Africa that are related to but smaller than the carrion crow
2
Examples of jackdaw in a Sentence
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Most of the corvid family, which includes ravens, jackdaws, and jays, as well as crows, seem to try new things, investigate new situations, and take advantage of new opportunities, says McGowan.
—
Avery Hurt, Discover Magazine, 9 June 2025
In living color To find out if corvids process stimuli using short-term memory with attractor dynamics, the researchers subjected two jackdaws to a variety of tests that involved remembering colors.
—Elizabeth Rayne, Ars Technica, 23 Dec. 2023
The jackdaws had to look at that chart and peck the color they had previously been shown.
—Elizabeth Rayne, Ars Technica, 23 Dec. 2023
To get enticing mealworms in an experiment, wild jackdaws quickly learned to shift their companions to receive the tasty snack.
—Tara Wu, Smithsonian Magazine, 10 Oct. 2023
Playing the sound of jackdaws reaching a consensus to leave their roosts makes other jackdaws leave their roosts, on average, six minutes faster.
—Matthew Gavin Frank, Harper's Magazine, 21 Aug. 2022
Take the jackdaw as an example.
—Tree Meinch, Discover Magazine, 12 Nov. 2020
In reality, the narrative was more ordinary and the jackdaw was pinching hair from the deer’s back to use in nest building.
—Cecilia Rodriguez, Forbes, 4 Apr. 2021
This Eurasian jackdaw on top of a fallow deer seem to be part of some childhood fairytale, with the bird whispering a secret to the deer.
—Cecilia Rodriguez, Forbes, 4 Apr. 2021
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Avery Hurt, Discover Magazine, 9 June 2025
In living color To find out if corvids process stimuli using short-term memory with attractor dynamics, the researchers subjected two jackdaws to a variety of tests that involved remembering colors.
—Elizabeth Rayne, Ars Technica, 23 Dec. 2023
The jackdaws had to look at that chart and peck the color they had previously been shown.
—Elizabeth Rayne, Ars Technica, 23 Dec. 2023
To get enticing mealworms in an experiment, wild jackdaws quickly learned to shift their companions to receive the tasty snack.
—Tara Wu, Smithsonian Magazine, 10 Oct. 2023
Playing the sound of jackdaws reaching a consensus to leave their roosts makes other jackdaws leave their roosts, on average, six minutes faster.
—Matthew Gavin Frank, Harper's Magazine, 21 Aug. 2022
Take the jackdaw as an example.
—Tree Meinch, Discover Magazine, 12 Nov. 2020
In reality, the narrative was more ordinary and the jackdaw was pinching hair from the deer’s back to use in nest building.
—Cecilia Rodriguez, Forbes, 4 Apr. 2021
This Eurasian jackdaw on top of a fallow deer seem to be part of some childhood fairytale, with the bird whispering a secret to the deer.
—Cecilia Rodriguez, Forbes, 4 Apr. 2021
Cite this Entry
“Jackdaw.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/jackdaw. Accessed 4 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
jackdaw
noun
jack·daw
-ˌdȯ 
: a common black and gray Eurasian bird related to but smaller than the crows
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