For an aspiring bird enthusiast, the physical similarities between ravens and crows can make it difficult to tell them apart. They both have black (or mostly black) feathers and prominent bills, and are typically larger than other songbirds you might see in a residential landscape.
Both birds are members of the Corvidae family, which also includes magpies and jays, and both crows and ravens are famously playful and intelligent. Over centuries, they’ve secured their position in history and literature as menacing portents of death or downfall, from the poetry of Edgar Allan Poe to the films of Alfred Hitchcock.
But when you compare these birds more closely, you’ll find many individual details that set them apart—ravens are substantially larger and have a heavier bill, while crows have broader wings and a more distinguishable bird call. Ahead, experts explain the key differences between ravens and crows, and how to know which bird of prey you’re in the presence of.
- Cathy Schlott, director of animal programs and experiences at the National Aviary
- Karina Jiménez, communications associate for Audubon Center for Birds of Prey
Size
Ravens and crows have a noticeable size difference. “A common raven is roughly one-third larger than an American crow,” says Cathy Schlott, director of animal programs and experiences at the National Aviary.
Ravens measure about 22 to 27 inches long and have a wingspan that reaches up to 59 inches, while an American crow is about 16 to 21 inches long with a wingspan of up to 39 inches. “When seen side by side, the difference in size is one of the easiest ways to distinguish the two,” says Schlott.
If you can’t visualize this size difference, Karina Jiménez, communications associate for Audubon Florida, offers another comparison: “Ravens are imposingly large, about the size of a heron, while crows are closer in size to pigeons and other perching birds,” she says.
But while understanding the birds’ sizes can help you identify them in certain situations, it’s not often helpful as a solo tool. “If you were to see a crow and a raven standing side by side, you’d be shocked by the size difference,” says Jiménez. “But we rarely see them side by side, so size isn’t always a good way to differentiate between the two.”
Color
From a distance, ravens and crows are similar in color—but not identical. “In North America, both crows and ravens are predominantly black,” says Schlott. “American crows are entirely black, while common ravens have subtle coloration and texture in their throat feathers. The raven’s throat feathers, often called hackles, are especially noticeable when the wind ruffles them or when you are close enough to see the detail.”
Outside of North America, other raven and crow species have more unique colorways. “African pied crows and white-necked ravens have striking white feathers contrasting with their otherwise mostly black plumage that gives almost an appearance of a fur collar,” says Schlott.
Bill Shape and Size
Observing the bill and throat can also provide a clue to the bird’s species. “One of the easiest differences to spot is the shape and size of the bill,” says Schlott. “Ravens have a much larger, heavier, and thicker bill than crows. Ravens also have elongated throat feathers, or hackles, that give their throat a shaggy appearance.” Some people refer to ravens as “bills with a bird.”
If you see a bird dropping a piece of food to split it open, that’s likely a crow. “Birds need strong bills to tear through flesh, so the ravens with their stronger bills have an easier time with live prey,” says Jiménez. “Both American crows and fish crows are known to drop mollusks on the ground from high up to crack open the shells, which is a pretty intelligent strategy.”
Wing and Tail Shape
As the crow or raven flies, check out its wings and tail. “Crows have relatively broad, rounded wings, with wingtip feathers that spread out like fingers,” says Schlott. “Ravens have longer, narrower wings and generally a less pronounced wingtip spread.”
Their flying styles differ, too. “Ravens tend to soar and glide more frequently than crows, taking advantage of rising columns of warm air, or thermals, with their longer wings,” says Schlott. “Crows tend to rely more heavily on active flapping flight.”
You’ll also notice differences in their tail shape. “Crows have square-shaped tails, whereas ravens have wedge-shaped, tapered tails,” says Jiménez.
Diet
Both ravens and crows are omnivores, and they’re opportunistic—a combination that means they’ll eat whatever they can find. “They aren’t picky,” says Jiménez. “But that doesn’t mean their diets are the same—unlike crows, ravens prefer their diets to be mostly animal. Still, they both will eat the same stuff, including the eggs and young of other birds, carrion or roadkill, dog food, reptiles, worms, insects, small mammals, seeds, fruit, and more.”
This opportunistic approach to feeding makes them major players in a healthy ecosystem. “Their scavenging plays an important ecological role,” says Schlott. “By consuming carrion and other organic material, they help remove animal remains from the environment and can help reduce opportunities for the spread of disease.”
Parenthood and Social Behavior
Ravens and crows lay a similar number of eggs—usually four to six at once—and the young leave the nest at roughly the same age. But American crows have a unique approach to raising their babies. “Something unique about American crows is that they have help from older siblings when it comes to raising the newest generation,” says Jiménez. “Young crows will stay with their parents for years, and they help build the nest and even feed nestlings. Young crows leave their parents when they are ready to breed, sometimes as early as two years, but often as late as six years old.”
Some of this social behavior extends beyond the nest, too. “Even outside of nesting, crows are a lot more social than ravens,” says Jiménez. “They are often found in large groups, while ravens are more likely to be alone or in pairs.”
Bird Call
When you can’t get close enough to identify a bird as a crow or raven based on its physical characteristics, its call can provide another clue. “American crows have that classic, familiar ‘caw caw’ call,” says Jiménez. “Ravens are a little more complicated: It’s a deeper sound with more texture.”
However, identifying a bird by its sound is difficult, as it can vary by species. “Each species has its own characteristic calls,” says Schlott. “The common raven typically produces a deep, throaty croak or caw. The chihuahuan raven has a somewhat different vocalization, with more of a trilling quality to its croak. Among crows, the American crow has a relatively clear, higher-pitched caw, while the fish crow tends to have a more nasal-sounding call.”
That said, you may not be able to trust the sound you’re hearing, as both birds can employ vocal learning and mimicry, meaning they can imitate or copy sounds they hear in their environment.
Habitat
Both birds have adapted to live in most habitats (except in Antarctica and South America), including forests, grasslands, agricultural areas, deserts, coastlines, and urban environments,” says Schlott.
Look for American crows throughout North America and Canada, fish crows in the southeastern coastlines of the U.S., and common ravens throughout the Northern Hemisphere, including Europe, Asia, North Africa, and North America, she says.
While you can find both birds in developed, metropolitan areas, Jiménez typically sees a difference in how close they get to human activity. “While both species have adapted to human development, I would say crows are more widespread in cities (and parking lots) than ravens,” she says.
Like their Corvidae relatives, both ravens and crows are highly intelligent. “Corvids have demonstrated sophisticated problem-solving abilities, tool use, strong memories, and complex social behaviors,” says Schlott. “Some of their cognitive abilities have been compared by researchers to those seen in young children and great apes.”
In addition to food-caching—hiding food and remembering where to find it later—ravens and crows can play with one another, interact with toys, work with puzzle feeders, and engage with objects in their environment in ways that appear exploratory and playful. “Their tendency to explore, manipulate, and interact with objects suggests that play may be an important part of their social and cognitive lives,” says Schlott.
Culture and History
Crows and ravens have similarly eerie reputations as spooky harbingers of death or danger. “Like other black birds (thinking of vultures here), ravens and crows both have reputations as symbols of death in many cultures,” says Jiménez. “A group of crows is called a murder, after all.”
However, it’s ravens that typically show up as especially ominous signs: Think of the croaking corvid in Edgar Allan Poe’s poem “The Raven,” or the group of captive ravens at The Tower of London. “Since at least the Victorian era, and possibly even before, the monarchy has kept at least six ravens there thanks to a legend that says if the ravens are lost or fly away, the monarchy will fall,” says Jiménez.
But their symbolism isn’t all doom and gloom. Ravens and crows have also represented intelligence, knowledge, transformation, and even creation in cultures around the world. Ravens famously accompany Odin in Norse mythology, while ravens and crows play important—and varied—roles in the traditions of many Indigenous peoples across North America.