Crow vs Raven: What's The Difference?
- bioworld090
- Jul 21, 2022
- 2 min read
Updated: Feb 16, 2023
Image Source: BirdNote
Crows and Ravens share the same genus Corvus. They look so similar to each other that it can be very difficult to distinguish between them. However, they also have several small but significant differences that can be used to identify them. Below are the main differences that you can use to distinguish between a crow and a raven.
1. SIZE
Ravens are generally bigger than crows in size. Ravens measure 30-40 inches in length while crows measure 10-20 inches in length.
2. WEIGHT
Crows weigh 300-600 grams as compared to ravens that can weigh as much as 2 kg.
3. NECK
The neck of ravens appears longer than that of the crows while flying.
4. WINGS
Ravens have more pointed wings while crows have blunt and splayed wings. The wingspan of ravens is 46-54 inches and crows have a wingspan of 32-40 inches.
Image Source: CorvidResearch
Another difference in the wings of these birds can be seen in the primary feather. Both ravens and crows have 10 primary feathers. Some of these feathers are longer than others making them look like fingers. During a flight, 4 "fingers" can be seen in ravens and 5 "fingers" in crows.
5. BEAK
Image Credit: AvianReport
Ravens have a bigger, more powerful and curved beak with a tuft of hair on top of the beak. Crows have smaller and flat beaks.
6. TAIL
Ravens have a triangular or wedge-shaped tail because their tail feathers are of different lengths and the shape of the tail is more obvious during flight. Crows have a fan-shaped tail because the length of their tail feathers is nearly equal.
7. FLIGHT
Ravens tend to soar in the sky for quite a long time like the raptorial birds such as eagles, hawks, etc. and they also "barrel-roll" while flying.
Crows do not soar except for just a few seconds and also do not "barrel-roll" while flying.
There are also some other differences between these two birds other than those mentioned above. For instance,
•Ravens are not so social birds and therefore, are usually found alone or in pairs while crows, being social birds, are usually found in groups known as "murder".
•Ravens make a deeper and low-pitched sound while crows make a higher-pitched "caw" sound. Listen to the sounds that ravens and crows make, here.
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