Crows vs. Ravens: 5 Main Differences Explained

Crows and ravens are often confused with each other. In comparison, there are enough similarities in physical features and terminology to believe that these birds are, in fact, the same. However, when you take a closer look at a raven and a crow, there are key differences in their behavior and specific body parts that can be recognized through observation, even from a distance. Each bird also inhabits different areas and has its own symbolism in various mythologies.

They are in fact two different species of the genus Corvus, making them both corvids. Although the comparison is generally true between all crows and ravens, for the sake of simplicity, the differences will be mainly between the common raven and the American crow.

Comparison Chart: Crows vs. Ravens

The Key Differences: Crows vs. Ravens

• Appearance: In a comparison of size, crows are generally smaller than ravens. However, there are some large crows and small ravens. Hence, the best way to distinguish a crow from a raven is by looking at the appearance of its beak, wings, and tail. Crows have a purple or green tint on blunt, splayed wings, while ravens have shiny feathers with blue or purple-tinted or grey and brown-tinted pointed wings. Crows have fan-shaped tails and smaller, straighter beaks, whereas ravens have wedge-shaped tails with larger, curved beaks with a tuft of hair on top. When the crow fluffs its feathers, it looks like a mane or ruff and the raven’s feathers look ragged. The raven’s neck also looks longer in flight.
• Habitat: Crows are more social and inhabit human-populated areas such as cities. Ravens prefer wilder areas and the countryside, where there are fewer people and they are likely to find carrion and small animals to eat since they scavenge rather than hunt for their food.
• Group Behavior: Crows tend to socialize in groups, and a group of crows is called a murder. Ravens prefer to be solitary or travel in pairs. Crows help each other raise babies, whereas ravens do not. They are also more likely to form bonds with humans and are a partly migratory species, unlike ravens. Crows can defeat ravens in flocks, although ravens are stronger.
• Species: “Crow” refers to any bird of the genus Corvus, which includes crows, ravens, jays, and magpies, but it is also a particular species in that genus. “Raven” is a species from the genus Corvus, having a larger distribution over the Northern Hemisphere than any other corvid species.
• Call: The crow’s call is a caw-caw sound that usually starts with one loud “caw” followed by several shorter caws. It’s very different than the long gronk or croaking sound of the raven. However, while the raven’s call is deep and guttural, the crow’s call is louder but higher-pitched and nasal.

Appearance: Crows vs. Ravens

Ravens are generally larger than crows. They are longer and weigh more. Ravens also have greater wingspans than crows. When in flight, their necks appear longer. Not only are their necks longer, but ravens also tend to fluff their feathers into a mane whereas a crow will not. Raven tails are also different than crows and can be seen clearly when in flight. Ravens have pointed wings and wedge-shaped tails. However, crows have a splayed wingspan and fan-shaped tails.

Intelligence: Crows vs. Ravens

Crows are highly intelligent creatures and are known to devise ways of getting food and surviving in the city and urban environments. In fact, researchers found that for certain water displacement tasks, crows perform as well as 7- to 10-year-old children. Crows can also form special relationships with humans who feed them regularly. For example, crows are known to bring shiny gifts in exchange for food from people.

For their part, ravens are brainy birds and can perform just as well as chimpanzees and orangutans across tasks designed to measure a creature’s depth of intelligence. Additionally, ravens are fantastic mimickers and are known to mimic human voices and tones.

Cultural and Symbolic Associations: Crows vs. Ravens

Ravens and crows are both symbolic and even sacred to many cultures. Crows are thought to represent change and transformation, specifically emotionally and spiritually. On the other hand, ravens can be perceived as bad omens but are also believed to be all-knowing, possibly relating to healing and longevity.

The British and Irish cultures often portray the crow as a symbol of death or war. For example, in a classic folk song written by British songwriter Sydney Carter called The Crow on the Cradle, Carter utilizes the crow as a character to prophesize the impending doom of war, as demonstrated in the following two verses:

Ravens are often used as deities and also as omens in literature as well as other storytelling mediums. The most famous example is the narrative poem by Edgar Allen Poe “The Raven.” The talking raven utters the same word—”nevermore”— to the poem’s narrator each time he quizzes the raven on whether or not he’ll be reunited with his lost love. He takes the raven’s response as a dark foretelling that they will be eternally separated.

Lifespan: Crows vs. Ravens

The average life expectancy for crows and ravens varies considerably. For the most part, crows live about 5-15 years in the wild depending on the type of crow. The oldest reported crow in captivity was the 59-year-old Tata who lived through 11 U.S. presidencies and passed away in 2006.

Ravens typically live about as long as crows with 10-20 years being their average lifespan. Reports of ravens who have lived to be 70 or 80 years old have been put forward, but scientists are skeptical as they have not been able to verify these claims.