Corvid Confusion

which is which?

Crows & ravens are found in the family Corvidae, a cosmopolitan family of oscine passerine birds (or, a family of perching/songbirds that are found in a wide distribution throughout the world), and in the genus Corvus. Corvids display remarkable intelligence for animals of their size and are considered among the most intelligent birds studied thus far. They’ve demonstrated self-awareness, tool-making, and the ability to recognize & remember different human faces.

The American crow (Corvus brachyrhynchos) and common ravens (Corvus corax) can be difficult to distinguish from one another, but there are a few key differences. While not always the most reliable method, you can often distinguish them based on size: the average raven is twice as larger as the average crow. However, you can always come across a abnormally large crow and a diminutive raven and still get them confused.

There are two other methods for determining if you’re looking at a crow or a raven: their throat feathers & tail feathers:

throat feathers

When looking at these birds, one of the most helpful attributes is to look at the textural differences in their throat feathers. Ravens have elongated throat feathers called hackles, which they use to articulate a variety of behavioral displays. Crows however have smooth, almost hair like throat feathers similar to other songbirds.

tail feathers

But, you can’t always get a clear view of a bird’s throat feathers. Fortunately, you can also reference the shape of their tail. Crows have a more squared or rounded tail (depending on how much they’ve fanned our their feathers). Ravens have a much more distinct wedge shape for their tail feathers.

crow profile

raven profile

raven profile & tailfeathers

crow profile & tail feathers