How can you tell a crow from a raven? Various things help, such as location, size, shape, behavior, and flight pattern. If the bird speaks, however, you'll know.

Range of The Common and Familiar American Crow

In North America, the American Crow (Corvus brachyrhynchos) is a common sight. These noisy birds live throughout North America in summer, except for the extreme north and very deep south. In winter, they vacate the colder regions, ranging throughout the United States, southern British Columbia and Atlantic Canada. They are common in both urban and rural areas, taking advantage of both road kill and garbage. If you see a large black bird, about 48cm (19in) long, especially in the city, it is probably an American Crow.

North American Range of The Common Raven

Common Ravens (Corvus corax), are much less common than American Crows. The normal range of Common Ravens includes all of Canada except the southern Prairie Provinces. In the United States, they occur in Alaska, in the west including the mountains, around Lake Superior, and in the northeast. Common Ravens occur in many other locations globally.

Physical Differences Between American Crows and Common Ravens

The most obvious physical difference between an American Crow and a Common Raven is size: the raven is bigger, about 63cm (25in). The difference between a large crow and a small raven can be very subtle, however, especially if the two are not standing side by side. There are other physical features to note:

• The bill of a Common Raven is larger and heavier, and has a less obvious downward curve—the raven’s upper bill does curve downward at the end but is more parallel for most of its length.
• A raven’s throat feathers look shaggy and fluffed out, a feature best seen from the side, in a perched bird.
• The tail feathers of a raven form a wedge shape, while a crow’s tail feathers form a fan, a feature most easily observed when the bird is in flight.
• In flight, the wing of a raven may have a sharper bend than that of a crow, and the primaries, the long feathers at the tip of the wing, are more separate, with space between them.

Behavior Differences Between Common Ravens and American Crows

Because crows are so common, most people have plenty of opportunity to observe them; ravens are more elusive. There are some behavioral differences that can help distinguish the two:

• Ravens don’t flock—they are often solitary but are sometimes seen in pairs. Crows have large family groups and sometimes gather at crow roosts of thousands at dusk.
• Ravens tend to remain in wild undisturbed areas, although they are gradually becoming more common in rural areas.
• During flight, crows typically flap their wings. Ravens are more inclined to soar, and may do somersaults in flight.

The Distinctive Voice of the Common Raven

A Raven’s typical throaty croak sounds nothing like the “caw” of a crow. While American Crows produce a number of different caws and softer gurgling noises, the raven produces a loud low characteristic “gronk, gronk.” Ravens also have a wide voice range and can make loud knocking sounds and even clear bell-like tones. The call of a raven is so arresting and unique that the bird can easily be identified without being seen. The Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology has audio files of the calls of ravens and crows.

Related content:

Ralph, an Unforgettable Pet Crow

Sources:

Berg, R. and T. Dewey. 1999. "Corvus corax" (On-line), Animal Diversity Web. Accessed November 05, 2007

Birds of North America. Kaufman, Kenn. New York: Houghton Mifflin, 2000.

Parr, C. 2005. "Corvus brachyrhynchos" (On-line), Animal Diversity Web. Accessed November 05, 2007 at