Common Raven
Corvus corax
Also called raven.
Bigger than a crow, but size is useless without a comparison. The tail shape in flight and the voice are what actually separate them, and both work at a distance.
- Size
- Goose or large raptor — 54–67 cm
- Bill
- Short and conical
- Where
- woodland, open field, coast
- Season
- year round
What it looks like
Entirely black and noticeably larger than a crow, with a very heavy bill, shaggy throat feathers and a wedge-shaped tail.
The checks that confirm it
- Wedge-shaped or diamond-shaped tail in flight — the single best character.
- Soars and glides on flat wings; crows almost always flap.
- A very heavy bill with a curved upper edge.
- Shaggy throat feathers, visible when calling.
Voice
A deep resonant croak, 'gronk-gronk'. Nothing like a crow's caw.
Attracting it
Not a feeder bird. Ravens are birds of wilder country, though they have expanded into towns across much of the west.
Confused with
Fan-shaped square tail, lighter bill, flaps steadily, and caws.
Soars with wings in a shallow V and rocks side to side; a raven soars flat and steady.
Questions about this bird
How do you identify a common raven?
Wedge-shaped or diamond-shaped tail in flight — the single best character. Soars and glides on flat wings; crows almost always flap.
What does a common raven sound like?
A deep resonant croak, 'gronk-gronk'. Nothing like a crow's caw.
How do you attract a common raven?
Not a feeder bird. Ravens are birds of wilder country, though they have expanded into towns across much of the west.