Bird Guide

Large-billed Crow vs Northern Raven

Large-billed Crow (Corvus macrorhynchos)

Large-billed Crow

Corvus macrorhynchos

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The large-billed crow is relatively large all-black corvid. It is 46–59 cm (18–23 in) in length and 450–1,000 g (16–35 oz) in weight. It has a large black bill with an arched culmen. The base of the culmen is hidden by a layer of overlapping black rictal bristles. The glossy black plumage has a purple sheen. The bases of the neck feathers are pale grey. The throat has elongated hackle feathers. The irises are dark brown and the legs are black. The sexes are similar in plumage but the female, on average, is smaller than the male and has a less arched culmen. Voice: The voice is similar to the house crow to which it is closest, but deeper and usually more resonant and described as the usual loud "caa-haa-caa". However, it makes a range of calls, some which could be described as "cau cau" and others that could be mistaken for a woodpecker drumming.

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Recording: Ujjal Kishor De · CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: FUKUDA Kazuhito 福田一人 · CC BY 4.0
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

Where you might meet both

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