7 Black Birds That Look Like Crows

Crows are one of the easiest types of birds to identify, although they are sometimes confused for ravens and other blackbirds. These intelligent birds have a wide range. Technically, crows aren’t one type of bird but many species within the genus  Corvus. When referring to crows, though, most people imagine the American crow. For the sake of this article, that is what we’ll be comparing these birds to. So, what are the other birds people confuse crows with? Follow along to discover 7 black birds that look like crows.

Before we start discussing the other birds, though, let’s dive into the appearance of an American crow. American crows are large passerine birds. They are about 16 to 20 inches long, although about half of their length is their tail. They can have a wingspan of around 33 inches long and weigh as much as 21 ounces. While they have black feathers, the feathers are also iridescent.

Raven

Unsurprisingly, ravens start our list. These all-black birds are often confused for crows and vice versa. However, their similarities start to decrease the closer you look. For instance, common ravens are a lot larger than American crows. These large birds can easily weigh about 3 pounds. A raven’s wingspan can be as much as 60 inches. They also have different behaviors compared to a crow. For instance, while both ravens and crows mate for life, it’s more common to see crows gather in large groups.

Brewer’s Blackbird

Another bird that looks like a crow is Brewer’s blackbird. However, like with ravens, the closer you look at Brewer’s blackbirds, the easier it is to tell them apart from a crow. Brewer’s blackbirds are native to a large part of North America. They are often found near a body of water. Although sometimes mistaken for crows, female Brewer’s blackbirds aren’t entirely black. Instead, they are mainly brownish-grey. Males are all-black and iridescent but are not as long as crows. They are about 8 to 11 inches long and weigh up to 2.2 ounces.

Western Jackdaw

Also on our list is the western jackdaw. Western jackdaws are members of the crow family. They are also known as Eurasian jackdaws and European jackdaws. Western jackdaws and crows both have black plumage, but a closer look reveals that they aren’t all that similar! For instance, western jackdaws have shorter beaks and plumper bodies. They are about 13 to 15 inches long. They also have a grey nape, although the shade of grey varies a lot.

Common Starling

Interestingly, common starlings are sometimes also mistaken for crows, although their unique plumage is very different. Still, at first glance, common starlings look like they are almost entirely black. Instead, though, they are colorful birds. They have shiny black plumage with a purple or green gloss. Common starlings also have a gorgeous spangled white pattern on their feathers, which is more prominent in winter. Another big physical difference between crows and common starlings is their beaks. During summer, common starlings have yellow beaks, while crow beaks are always black.

Great-tailed Grackle

If we ignore the great-tailed grackles’ blue shine on their feathers and their long tails, they look a lot like crows! Great-tailed grackles are social birds with a long-range in North and South America. Male and female great-tailed grackles look very different. Males are iridescent black, like crows, but have a purple-blue shine. Female great-tailed grackles, though, are different shades of brown. They are smaller than crows, at about 15 to 18 inches long.

Common Blackbird

When mentioning blackbirds, most people think of crows or ravens. This is likely why so many birds with black feathers are confused for crows, like the common blackbird. Common blackbirds are common birds listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List. Although the appearance of a common blackbird slightly varies depending on the subspecies, most common blackbirds are 9 to 11.4 inches long, smaller than crows. Adult males have black, shiny plumage and an orange-yellow bill. Female common blackbirds are mainly brown and white with some weak mottling near their necks.

Rook

Last on our list of 7 black birds that look like crows is the rook. Rooks are large social birds that almost look like crows. However, the more you look at a rook, the easier it is to see it’s not a crow. Rooks, for instance, have grey-black beaks and slightly white faces. They also have black iridescent plumage, apart from their faces. A rook can reach about 17 to 18 inches long and may weigh up to 12 ounces or more.

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