How Can You Tell Ravens and Crows Apart?

Ravens and crows are both large black birds with mythic reputations, but they're easy to tell apart once you know the differences between them. Learn more in this episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: https://animals.howstuffworks.com/birds/american-crows-and-ravens-whats-difference.htm

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:01):
Welcome to Brainstuff, a production of iHeartRadio. Hey brain Stuff
Loren Vogelbaum here, it takes an eye for small details
to be a good bird watcher, and that's certainly the
case when it comes to identifying ravens versus crows, though
once you know what you're looking for, it's pretty easy. Altogether.

(00:22):
There are more than thirty different species of crows and
ravens worldwide, and they're all part of the genus Corvus,
which includes other black birds like jackdaws and rooks. Many
of these bear a passing resemblance to each other, but
these slight differences in their feathers, vocalizations, and behaviors are
just a few of the ways that you can tell
these two birds apart. Now, instead of comparing the key

(00:45):
traits of every single raven and crow species on Earth,
we'll just focus on two species from North America today,
the common raven and the American crow. Let's begin with
relative size. A raven is noticeably bigger than a crow.
It has a greater wingspan that can be almost four
feet or over a meter in total length, while the

(01:06):
distance between the beak tip and tail tip can be
over two feet. That's more than half a meter. Contrast
this with American crows, which can grow up to a
still impressive but smaller three foot wing span a bit
less than a meter. Their beak shape and size will
be different too. Unlike the slim and straight beaked American crow,
the common raven has a curved, wider beak. Of feathers,

(01:29):
including those on the wings and tails, are one more
thing that sets the common raven apart from the crow.
Ravens have pointed wings and longer middle feathers in their tails,
which gives them wedge shaped tails. The crow's tail feathers
are mostly all the same length, which gives them fan
shaped tails. Ravens also have shaggy feathers under their throats
that make them look a little bit scruffy, while crows

(01:50):
throats are smooth. The outstretched wings look different too. Crows
have blunt shaped wings, while ravens have pointed wings. At
the tips of both birds wings, you'll see the finger
like primary feathers that birds use to propel themselves through
the air. Because ravens soar as they fly, they have
longer primaries, Crows flap more so their primaries are shorter.

(02:13):
Both ravens and crows are considered songbirds, though their vocal
stylings aren't quite smooth. Jazz crows make jarring call sounds,
while ravens generally produce lower croaks. Both can imitate a
range of noises, though rescued crows and ravens in captivity
have been known to mimic other animals or their handler's speech,
and will repeat words they hear often. When it comes

(02:37):
to sociability in the wild, the two birds are light
years apart. A Crows amass themselves in large groups sometimes
called murders, and may roost together at night in huge
clusters of several hundred birds. Ravens are less gregarious, preferring
to live in mated pairs or in tight knit family units.
Their habitat preferences vary as well. Crows generally favor wide

(02:58):
open spaces, while common ravens tend to hang out in forests.
Despite all the things that separate them, these birds share
an impressive trait. They're both very intelligent. American crows can
learn to recognize the faces of people who have helped
or hurt them a while common ravens have shown both
impulse control and active planning In lab experiments. A crows
have been known to form special relationships with humans that

(03:20):
feed them. They'll even bring back trinkets in return for food.
The two birds have distinct diets, though they do share
some similarities. A ravens, for instance, will eat everything from
small mammals to other birds to reptiles, plus nuts, seeds, fruits,
and other plants. They're not picky about whether they're prey
is living or dead, and will scavenge waste from landfills.

(03:41):
A crows will also eat small mammals, seeds, fruits, and grains,
but they prefer other birds, mollusks, earthworms, and mice living
or dead, perhaps because of their striking black plumage and
penchant for eating dead things. There are a lot of myths, folklore,
and superstitions about these birds. Just for examples, the Norse

(04:01):
god Odin was said to have talking ravens who would
fly around the world gathering news for him, and a
story of Lakota Sioux origin says that the forefather of
all crows was once tossed into a fire as punishment
for his misdeeds, hence the dark feathers of its progeny.
Today's episode is based on the article Raven versus Crow,

(04:24):
What's the Difference on how stuffworks dot Com written by
Mark Nancini. Brain Stuff is production of by Heart Radio
in partnership with how stuffworks dot Com and is produced
by Tyler Klang. Four more podcasts that's from my heart Radio,
Visit the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen
to your favorite shows.