topic Re: Crow or Common Raven in Share Your Photos

Crow or Common Raven

JFG — Sun, 16 Nov 2025 03:37:51 GMT

Crow or Raven? R5 Mark II RF200-800 F6.3-9 IS USM

Crow or Raven? Crows are generally smaller with fan-shaped tails and a harsh caw, while ravens are larger, have wedge-shaped tails, and produce a deep croaking sound. Observing their flight patterns can also help to tell them apart: Crows flip their wings more frequently whereas ravens tend to soar more. Ravens are often in pairs or family groups while crows form large groups called murders. Common Ravens prefer forests and mountain areas while American Crows are more adaptable and often found in urban and open spaces. Both species are highly intelligent, capable of problem solving and recognising human faces. Ravens ar known for their complex social behaviors, while Crows are known for their ability to use tools.

Re: Crow or Common Raven

Jkarl — Mon, 17 Nov 2025 12:49:21 GMT

Nevermore.

Re: Crow or Common Raven

TomRamsey — Thu, 20 Nov 2025 00:17:01 GMT

I'll say crow, because of the bill.

Re: Crow or Common Raven

JFG — Thu, 20 Nov 2025 00:58:46 GMT

Tom, you're absolutly correct. It is a Common American Crow! Winner winner, chicken dinner🐔 At least it's not crow 😄

Re: Crow or Common Raven

JFG — Thu, 20 Nov 2025 01:24:12 GMT

Neverrmore?? Always and forever, (forevermore). 😄

Re: Crow or Common Raven

Jkarl — Thu, 20 Nov 2025 11:37:57 GMT

To expand the reference. "Quote the raven nevermore"

Re: Crow or Common Raven

zakslm — Fri, 21 Nov 2025 16:42:11 GMT

Ravens are pretty large birds and crows are quite a bit smaller but noisy.

Grand Canyon Ravens

Re: Crow or Common Raven

JFG — Fri, 21 Nov 2025 18:31:16 GMT

Hi zakslm, your 100% correct! Ravens are generally larger than crows, measuring about 24-27 inches in length and having a wingspan of 3.5-4 feet, while crows are about 16-21 inches long with a wingspan of around 2.5 feet. This size difference is one of the easiest ways to distinguish between the two birds.

Re: Crow or Common Raven

zakslm — Fri, 21 Nov 2025 20:40:39 GMT

Joe,

There were ravens that hung around an athletic field area (baseball diamonds) where I would walk my dog (he passed away about a year ago). They are some big menacing looking birds!

The ravens would graze on the baseball diamonds and perch on the light poles occasionally. My dog would get extremely agitated by the ravens and bark loudly and pull aggressively to get at them. If off leash, he would chase them but thankfully never caught up to one. Crows and most other birds didn’t seem to bother him as much.

Re: Crow or Common Raven

JFG — Fri, 21 Nov 2025 20:55:08 GMT

Hi zakslm, Crows and ravens are both highly intelligent birds, known for their problem-solving abilities and complex social behaviors. Both species exhibit remarkable cognitive skills, such as tool use and planning for the future. Ravens and crows are known for their impressive memory capabilities, including the ability to remember individual human faces and hold grudges for many years. Studies have shown that crows can recall threats and communicate this information to others, demonstrating their advanced cognitive skills.

Re: Crow or Common Raven

TomRamsey — Fri, 21 Nov 2025 23:34:54 GMT

We have a woods behind the house and a lot of crows, American Crows and Fish Crows. There is at least a couple Barred Owls in the woods, you can hear them calling often. And you can sure tell when the crows find them, because they are relentless in harassing the owls.

I was not familiar with fish crows until moving here (SW coastal North Carolina) They look just like an American Crow, supposed to be a little smaller, but their call is about the only way to tell the difference.

Re: Crow or Common Raven

JFG — Sun, 23 Nov 2025 17:50:40 GMT

Hi Tom,

Thanks for introducing me to the "Fish Crows" (Corvus ossifragus). This species habitat is in the eastern seaboard of the United States from Rhode Island south to Key West, and west along the northern coastline of the Gulf of Mexico. In California, where I live, we have lots of murders of American Crows and we also have Ravens. When they're in flight I can tell them apart by the shape of the tail. Ravens have wedge-shaped tails with longer middle feathers, while crows have fan-shaped tails where the feathers are mostly the same length. Both are very intelligent and remember faces for life. If one treats them badly, they will remember the individual who have been mean to them and may hold grudges against those people. They can recognize faces and even pass this information on to others, allowing them to react negatively to those they associate with bad experiences. So be nice to CrowsandRavens. 😉

Re: Crow or Common Raven

TomRamsey — Mon, 24 Nov 2025 01:22:55 GMT

Beware the blackbirds, at least be nice to them. The only time I've seen ravens (at least that I knew about) was at the Tower of London where they have celebrity status. I was very respectful.