American Crow vs Common Raven
The check that settles it
Wedge-shaped tail, much heavier bill, shaggy throat feathers, soars regularly, and croaks rather than caws.
American Crow
Corvus brachyrhynchos
- Size
- 40–50 cm
- Bill
- conical
- Where
- yard, open field, city, woodland
- Voice
- A clean, evenly-pitched 'caw caw caw'.
Common Raven
Corvus corax
- Size
- 54–67 cm
- Bill
- conical
- Where
- woodland, open field, coast
- Voice
- A deep resonant croak, 'gronk-gronk'. Nothing like a crow's caw.
Confirming a american crow
- Fan-shaped tail with a squared or slightly rounded end in flight.
- Steady, even wingbeats — crows flap and rarely soar.
- A smooth throat without shaggy feathers.
- Calls a clear 'caw'.
Confirming 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.
- A very heavy bill with a curved upper edge.
- Shaggy throat feathers, visible when calling.