Coloeus is a subgenus of the bird genus Corvus, the crows and allies. It contains two relatively small species both named as jackdaws. They have a blackish crown, wings and tail, the rest of the plumage being paler. The word Coloeus is New Latin, from the Ancient Greek for jackdaws: koloiós (κολοιός).While some authors consider Coloeus a subgenus of Corvus, others have classified Coloeus as a distinct genus in the family Corvidae.