Bird Guide

American Crow vs Northern Raven

American Crow (Corvus brachyrhynchos)

American Crow

Corvus brachyrhynchos

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The American crow is a large, distinctive bird with iridescent black feathers all over. Its legs, feet, and bill are also black. They measure 40–53 cm (16–21 in) in length, of which the tail makes up about 40%. The wing chord is 24.5 to 33 cm (9.6 to 13.0 in), with the wingspan ranging from 85 to 100 cm (33 to 39 in). The bill length can be from 3 to 5.5 cm (1.2 to 2.2 in), varying strongly according to location. The tarsus is 5.5 to 6.5 cm (2.2 to 2.6 in) and the tail is 13.5 to 19 cm (5.3 to 7.5 in). The body mass can vary from 316 to 620 g (11.1 to 21.9 oz).

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Sonogram of the American Crow
Recorded by MorrisGevirtz · Uncertain, coo · Berkeley, Alameda County, California, United States · CC BY 4.0
Photo: Anne Parsons · CC0
Northern Raven (Corvus corax)

Northern Raven

Corvus corax

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A mature common raven ranges between 54 and 71 cm (21 and 28 in) and has a wingspan of 116 to 153 cm (46 to 60 in). Recorded weights range from 0.69 to 2.250 kg (1.52 to 4.96 lb), thus making the common raven one of the heaviest passerines. Birds from colder regions such as the Himalayas and Greenland are generally larger with slightly larger bills, while those from warmer regions are smaller with proportionally smaller bills. Representative of the size variation in the species, ravens from California weighed an average of 0.784 kg (1.73 lb), those from Alaska weighed an average of 1.

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Sonogram of the Northern Raven
Recorded by Sonothèque ADVL · Call, flight call · Cabane Vauban (near Carolles), Manche, Normandie, France · CC0
Photo: Лариса Артемьева · CC0

Where you might meet both

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Photos and recordings are credited to their authors under the licence shown. Full profiles: American Crow and Northern Raven.