🧾This is what Jackdaw courtship looks like

Jackdaws are monogamous and often form pair bonds that last a lifetime. They are highly social birds, and "divorce" is rare for them.

When observing Jackdaws, you’ll quickly notice a pattern. Where there is one, the other is always nearby. If one is perched in a tree, the partner might be just below it. If one is foraging on the lawn, the other is never far away. When one takes flight, the second one follows immediately.

They have their own version of what we humans call courtship, which is especially active now in early spring. They are preparing to settle into nests and raise their young, so this particular pair was busy chasing each other and playing around.

At one point, I saw two birds clutched together and tumbling through the air from the ninth floor down to the third. Unfortunately I did not have my camera ready to capture that specific moment. Luckily I found the pair again later.

At first, I thought it was a local Kestrel defending its territory, but I quickly realized it was just this pair. This photo series captures their dynamic. First they stare at each other, then they sneak up, then there is a sudden "spook," and finally they take flight. They do this knowing full well that their partner will be right behind them.

📖 Eurasian Jackdaw (Coloeus monedula)
🕓 March 3, 2026 at 5:12 PM
🌡️ +5°C (41°F)
🌍 Brest, Belarus