EDINBURGH ROOKERIES IN 1 92 1 9 



EDINBURGH ROOKERIES IN 1921. 



By William Evans, F.R.S.E. 



In 1920 the boundaries of the City of Edinburgh were, by 

 Act of Parliament, greatly enlarged, the extension embracing 

 a wide sweep of open country reaching in the south to 

 the ridge of the Pentland Hills. In the course of time 

 the rural character of much of this newly acquired area 

 is bound to give way before the advance of urban conditions, 

 with the inevitable changes on the flora and fauna. It 

 was this thought that induced me to draw up a "census" 

 of the rookeries in Greater Edinburgh during the spring 

 of last year, the first nesting season since the passing 

 of the new Boundaries Act. Apart from any present-day 

 interest they may possess, I feel sure the facts given below 

 as to our rook population in 192 1 will become increasingly 

 valuable as the years roll on. 



Rooks are early nesters. I have records of eggs in 

 this district as early as the 13th and the i6th of March; 

 but, to make sure of laggards being included, my enumera- 

 tions were practically all made during April, most of the 

 rookeries being visited more than once and reinvestigated. 

 Of course, except in the case of very small colonies, it is 

 hardly possible to arrive at the number of nests with 

 absolute certainty, but I feel confident my figures are 

 substantially correct. As regards the eastern group I have 

 had the advantage of comparison with an independent 

 count kindly made for me by Mr David Hamilton. It 

 may be that my list of our existing rookeries is not quite 

 complete, but I am hopeful that no important omission has 

 been made. 



Rookeries, as everyone knows, are often of great age ; 

 but, like all else in this world, they are subject to the 

 inevitable ravages of time. I can call to mind quite a 

 number in and around Edinburgh that have, from one 

 cause or another, come to an end during the past forty 

 or fifty years, the birds usually, however, starting new ones 

 121 AND 122 B 



