How can you tell a crow from a raven?

Answer 1

Ravens feathers generally have a blue-ish tinge to them as they are so black, and they are bigger than most crows. crows also tend to have a larger head than ravens. Ravens are generally larger(21" vs 17") with a wedgeshaped tail, and crows seldom glide for more than 2-3 seconds. I think they have different shaped beaks

Answer 2

Common Ravens are larger, larger-billed, and shaggier-throated than American Crows. Ravens have 'wedge-shaped' tails, while crows have 'fan-shaped' tails. Ravens often soar in circles more often, while crows typically flap, although both can flap their wings in flight regularly. Crows typically travel in flocks, while ravens are usually solitary or in pairs, unless if some dead meat is rotting nearby. Habitat is a major clue, with crows being more common in urbanized areas (although ravens are becoming more common there) and shorelines, while ravens far outnumber crows in mountains, deserts, tundra, etc. Lastly, vocalizations between crows and ravens are different, with crows producing the familiar 'caw'-ing sound, while ravens make a wide variety of groaning, clicking, and other noises.

Answer 3

Ravens are bigger than crows and have different shaped beaks. Ravens' tails are kind of like arrow-shaped while crows' are like fan- or brush-shaped. The best way to tell the difference from a distance is knowing their sizes.

Answer 4

Ravens are larger, with a wedge shaped tail, larger beak, which give the bird a "Roman nose" look. They also fly with a flat wing profile, and have a croaking call, rather than the crow's caw.

Answer 5

Ravens do much more soaring than crows, which are not the type of birds that will soar around, especially on a windy day, and are a bit bigger in size than crows are. Ravens also have a bit more of a throaty caw than crows do, which are more high-pitched than a raven's. Also, ravens don't migrate south for the winter: crows do.

Other differences include the fact that, in flight, ravens have a wedge-shaped tail where crows have a fan-shaped tail. Ravens' heads are bigger and more shaggier in the throat area: crows are more smoother in the throat area and over the head a well, making them look like large black American Robins.

Answer 6

The biologist then performed very careful examinations of two live birds. One a raven and the other a crow. The heads and beaks are remarkably similar. The size and shapes of the birds' bodies did not show much difference. Even the legs and feet of the birds were similar.

But, at last, a breakthrough. The long feathers at the tip of a birds wings, the pinion feathers, provided the conclusion that ravens and crows differ. A raven has four pinion feathers and a crow has five pinion feathers.

So...........................

The difference between ravens and crows is a matter of a pinion!

Answer 7

Ravens are larger, have shaggy throat feathers, and in flight overhead, show a wedge shaped tail.