Crows and ravens - what's the difference?

Photo by Tyler Quiring on Unsplash

Crows and ravens are two very popular North American birds, who can look remarkably similar upon first glance. They are cousins in the corvidae family of birds, and are related to rooks, jackdaws, jays, magpies, treepies, choughs, and nutcrackers. The corvidae family is commonly known as the crow family, or corvids.

Corvids are among the most intelligent birds studied to date. Corvids like the European magpies have been known to demonstrate self-awareness in mirror tests, while crows and rooks are known to use tools (a skill that was thought to only be possessed by humans and a few other "higher mammals").

While the two great black birds are similar, they are not identical.

Photo by Tyler Quiring on Unsplash

Ravens

• Ravens have a larger, more curved beak

• A raven's tail is wedge-shaped

• Ravens are larger than crows

• A raven's wingspan is approximately one meter (between 3.5-4 feet)

• Ravens are approximately the size of a Red-tailed Hawk (around 60-68 centimeters, or 24-27 inches from head to tail)

• Ravens weigh approximately two and a half pounds (40 ounces)

• Ravens have a ruff of feathers (called "hackles") at their throat

• Raven speak a deep, croaking "gronk-gronk" call

• Ravens tend to travel in pairs, which are called “a conspiracy” (though a group of ravens is called "an unkindness")

• A raven can for more than 23 years (in the wild)

Photo by Janik on Unsplash

Crows

• A crow is approximately 43 centimeters (17 inches) long, about the size of a pigeon

• The tail of a crow is fan-shaped

• A crow’s beak is thinner and curved more gently

• The wingspan of a crow is approximately 0.75 meters (2.5 feet)

• Crows eigh about half of what ravens do (one and a quarter pounds or 20 ounces)

• Unlike ravens, crows have smooth throats

• Crows are most often seen in larger groups (called murders)

• A crow will vocalize with a familiar "caw-caw" call

• A crow will live for about eight years

Ravens are usually not found in urban settings, so city black birds are most often crows. As they can take up residence in human neighbourhoods, they need to be observant of the behaviours of those around them. Crows have sharp memories and can remember human faces. They can also recognize behaviour, and remember who is safe and who is not. They will pass learned information about people and neighbourhoods on to future generations through their offspring.

Whichever feathered creature you see in your travels, these are both majestic birds. Their intelligence, beauty, and voices have given them many important roles in myth and stories over many generations.