Crows/Ravens (2 Viewers)

[DeadInTheBasement]

whats the difference in an american crow and common raven? if its size(im sure there could someone tell me where i could find a photo compairing the size.............

 

[robinm]

Hi DeadInTheBasement,

A warm welcome to BirdForum from all the Moderators and Admin. Glad to have you on board :t:

The American Crow is similar in size to "our" Carrion Crow and the Raven is the same species. The Raven is much bulkier bird with a huge bill and, in my experience, these features are usually obvious in the field.

Here's a Raven http://www.birdforum.net/bird_view.php?bid=2400 and American Crow http://www.birdforum.net/bird_view.php?bid=149 for comparison.

 

[Marmot]

Hi DITB,

Welcome to Birdforum.

Here is a link to our database for both species.
http://www.birdforum.net/bird_view.php?bid=149

http://www.birdforum.net/bird_view.php?bid=2400

 

[DeadInTheBasement]

Are american crows and common ravens around the same size?

 

[robinm]

Are american crows and common ravens around the same size?

Crow - Length 17.5" Wingspan 39"
Raven - Length 24" Wingspan 53"

according to my Sibley guide

The Raven is much bigger and looks it.

 

[scampo]

Crow - Length 17.5" Wingspan 39"
Raven - Length 24" Wingspan 53"

according to my Sibley guide

The Raven is much bigger and looks it.

It's an odd thing because when in Wales or Derbyshire, it seems so easy to identify a raven and be sure it's not a crow, but locally we only have a couple of pairs and I still find it easy to confuse them unless they kindly oblige with their unmistakeable "cronk cronk!" call. The local crows can seem very large at times and I find that the raven's diamond-shaped tail isn't always too obvious.

 

[Macswede]

It's an odd thing because when in Wales or Derbyshire, it seems so easy to identify a raven and be sure it's not a crow, but locally we only have a couple of pairs and I still find it easy to confuse them unless they kindly oblige with their unmistakeable "cronk cronk!" call. The local crows can seem very large at times and I find that the raven's diamond-shaped tail isn't always too obvious.

Yeah, the call's a dead giveaway. It's much easier to ID ravens in my part of Sweden because pretty well all the crows are hoodies. I've never seen a carrion crow here at any rate.
Graham

 

[steveo]

I've also read that crows never soar and Ravens comely do, crows caw and Ravens sound like a bullfrog. Recently when hiking Mt. Mansfield I come across a very large Raven in a tree and on size alone automatic raven then with the call it was a fairly easy I-d.

 

[scampo]

I've also read that crows never soar and Ravens comely do, crows caw and Ravens sound like a bullfrog. Recently when hiking Mt. Mansfield I come across a very large Raven in a tree and on size alone automatic raven then with the call it was a fairly easy I-d.

What a good expression "comely do"! I like that a lot. I have heard the same said about crows not soaring - I'm pretty sure they don't, but then I haven't seen many ravens soaring, either.

 

[steveo]

Sorry I was out of it, and my head was blah, blah, blah.

 

[birdpotter]

I think it is very tough to tell the two apart unless, like everyone has said you hear them or you see them side by side or you get a really good look at a raven.
Ravens are loners for the most part.
When I used to live in the Smokies in Eastern TN there was a pair that I saw and heard almost everyday going down the mountain from which I lived. They sat in the same tree every morning at the same time and croaked their little hearts out.

As far as the soaring goes, I think that is hard to tell because Crows do soar for very short stints at times. It's hard, that is, if you are really wanting to see a Raven rather than a crow.

I haven't been any help what so ever.
Basically, what everyone else said.

Best

 

[scampo]

Sorry I was out of it, and my head was blah, blah, blah.

And there I was thinking it was a quaint example of regional dialect. Still - it seemed to work okay!

 

[OwlTalon]

Crows will glide rarely, but only ravens truely soar and circle. Overall, if you get a look at a perched bird, ravens are shaggier. The big clincher ('cept call) for me is the tail shape. Ravens have a distinctly wedge-shaped tail, and crows' are more fan-like. If you need help remembering, Raven=V, Crow=C, the letters in their names. Neat little memory device I learned from people met in my travels.

 

[birdpotter]

Crows will glide rarely, but only ravens truely soar and circle. Overall, if you get a look at a perched bird, ravens are shaggier. The big clincher ('cept call) for me is the tail shape. Ravens have a distinctly wedge-shaped tail, and crows' are more fan-like. If you need help remembering, Raven=V, Crow=C, the letters in their names. Neat little memory device I learned from people met in my travels.

I have ALWAYS had trouble remembering the tail shapes...call it a block.
Now I will never have that trouble again!