Bird Guide

Carrion Crow vs Northern Raven

Carrion Crow (Corvus corone)

Carrion Crow

Corvus corone

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The plumage of the carrion crow is black with a green or purple sheen, much greener than the gloss of the rook (Corvus frugilegus). The bill, legs, and feet are also black. It can be distinguished from the common raven by its size, around 48–52 cm (19–20 in) in length, as compared to an average of 63 cm (25 in) for ravens, and from the hooded crow by its black plumage. The carrion crow has a wingspan of 84–100 cm (33–39 in) and weighs 400–600 g (14–21 oz).

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Recording: Christian Kahle · CC0
Photo: Jason Thompson · 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

Recording: Sonothèque ADVL · CC0
Photo: Lisa Hupp/USFWS · Public domain

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