How Is a Raven Different From a Crow?

The American crow and common raven both belong to the corvus genus of the corvidae family. This makes both species closely related and means they share many common traits and look similar in appearance. Even so, the two birds are distinct species and have just as many differences that help identify them.

  1. Description

    • Unlike crows, ravens can mimic other birds and even human speech.

      At a glance, crows and ravens look almost identical, but on closer inspection several differences are evident. The raven grows to 27 inches in length, with a 46-inch wingspan and weighs up to 3 1/2 lbs. The crow is smaller and grows to 21 inches in length, with a 40-inch wingspan and weighs less than 1 1/2 lbs. Ravens are more robust birds, while crows are slender in body shape. The beaks are different with the crow having a more pointed shape compared to the raven's broader, Bowie knife-shaped bill. The tail shape is also different with the raven possessing a wedge-shaped tail and the crow having a rounded or sometimes squared-off shape.

    Habitat and Range

    • The two birds have differing ranges with the crow found throughout most of the U.S. and Canada. The raven, by comparison, is most common in the western U.S. and throughout Canada. The raven is more tolerant of cold weather and lives in Canada year-round, while the crow is a summer visitor only. Both birds prefer open habitats near areas with ample roosting options. Forests, parks and sparsely treed grasslands are ideal habitats for both. The crow is more comfortable around urban areas than the raven, so it is often found near human developments.

    Diet and Predators

    • Ravens and crows are both omnivores and eat very much the same type of diet which includes small animals, insects and anything they can scavenge. Crows tend to hunt more than ravens do, as the raven prefers to scavenge. The raven is also more nervous around dead carcasses and often waits until magpies and crows arrive and start eating before approaching. Birds of prey, snakes and domestic pets are all predators of both birds but the raven, being bigger and more cautious by nature, is better at avoiding predation.

    Life Cycle

    • Both birds pair off for breeding. Males and females work together to build nests and raise the chicks. Crows produce larger clutches of eggs, on average, with three to nine compared to three to seven for ravens. The eggs of both species are almost the same size but crows lay bluish-green eggs, while raven eggs are more olive green. Crow chicks hatch after 18 days and leave the nest after 20 to 40 days. Ravens take longer to hatch, taking up to 25 days, and leave the nest after 28 to 50 days. In the wild both species live for 13 to 14 years. In captivity, crows can live for 20 years while ravens can live over 40.