Wildlifeof New Zealand
Rook
Introduced Songbirds & Finches
Photo: Hobbyfotowiki · CC0
Corvus frugilegus
Basic stats
Habitat
Pasture, cropland and shelterbelts near breeding colonies
Range
Hawke's Bay and Canterbury
Size
Length 45 cm; weight about 460 g
The rook is a large introduced crow whose remaining New Zealand strongholds are in Hawke’s Bay and Canterbury. Glossy black plumage has a purple sheen; adults have bare grey-white skin around the bill, which juveniles lack.
It occurs mainly in open agricultural country in Hawke’s Bay and Canterbury, nesting colonially in tall trees. Rooks forage communally on pasture and crops for invertebrates, grain and other plant food, and return to traditional colony sites.
Look for flocks over farmland near established rookeries in Hawke’s Bay or Canterbury.
Quick answers
- What habitat does the Rook live in?
- Pasture, cropland and shelterbelts near breeding colonies
- Where is the Rook found?
- Hawke's Bay and Canterbury
- How big is the Rook?
- Length 45 cm; weight about 460 g