“When does a crow become a raven?’ my wife’s friend asked as he watched a black bird sort through a discarded bag of ketchup covered french fries near a gas station garbage dumpster. His question amused and perplexed me. While they could be considered cousins, Crows could no more become ravens than tigers can become lions. I
did not consider this privileged information and launched into a fascinating explanation on the definition of a species and the differences between the two in question.
- American crow Corvus brachyrhynchos
Midway through my oratory his expression of interest morphed into information overload speeding towards boredom. In an attempt to avoid a similar fate, and for those who the same question has popped in and out of their heads, here’s the condensed version:
- Crows and ravens are both members of the Corvid genus but they are distinct birds separated by biologists into two species. Crows are Corvus brachyrhynchos, Ravens are Corvus corax.
- Crows are smaller than ravens. Although difficult to distinguish without side by side comparisons, crows are 16-21 inches from head to tail and weigh 11 – 22 oz. Ravens are 18-22 inches from head to tail with a weight range of 24 to a hefty 57 oz.
- Crows’ tails are round or square at the end compared to the wedge-shaped tail of a raven.
- Ravens look more muscular than the ‘dainty’ crow. They have thicker necks, a thick beak, and long,
ruffled throat feathers (they look like they just got out of bed and are ready for a fight). Crows have a long neck, no throat feathers, and a long but narrow beak- Common raven Corvus corax
.
- Crows like a crowd. They are often found in large groups while ravens are seen alone or in pairs (unless they are feeding at a large food source such as a landfills).
- Ravens build nests on cliffs, in trees, and under or on various structures such as bridges and power poles. Crows prefer to nest on branches near the trunk of evergreen trees (but almost any tree will do if there are no evergreens).
- Perhaps the easiest way to tell the difference between a raven in a crow is the location. Crows live in most of the United States and Canada. Raven habitat is the western U.S., south to Central America and north to the Canadian Arctic and Alaska.
