jackdaw

Compound of jack +‎ daw. The first element, also present in Low German (North Saxon) Jöker (“jackdaw”), may refer either to its characteristic call, often represented as tchak-tchak, or to the name Jack. The second element means “jackdaw” in itself, from Old English dāwe, from Proto-Germanic *dēhǭ, from Proto-Indo-European *dʰēk- (“a daw, starling, thrush, similar birds”). Cognate with Old Prussian doacke (“starling”), Latin faccilāre (“the sound or timbre of the thrush”), and German Dohle (“jackdaw”).

• (UK) IPA^(key): /ˈdʒækˌdɔː/
• (GenAM) IPA^(key): /ˈdʒækˌdɔ/, /ˈdʒækˌdɑ/
• Hyphenation: jack‧daw

jackdaw (plural jackdaws)

1. A European bird of the crow family (Coloeus monedula), often nesting in church towers and ruins.

   Synonyms: daw, western jackdaw, Eurasian jackdaw, European jackdaw

2. A Daurian jackdaw, a closely related Asian bird (Coloeus dauuricus).