Among the representatives of the earth's fauna there are a wide variety of representatives: some of them are quite cute, others cause disgust or bewilderment; some are timid and even timid, others, on the contrary, are scandalous and violent; some belong to rare, endangered species, others are common on almost all continents and are known to everyone. After reading the article prepared by the editors of the site, you will finally find out what is the difference between a raven and a crow.
How to distinguish a raven from a crow
The life and inclinations of “our little brothers” are described in many TV shows and books, but very often it is not some rare, almost mythical exotics that become more unexpected, but our close neighbors. Here they are - they live nearby, “nearby”, and we usually abandon them without attention.
Why? Most likely, because it seems to us that we have already learned almost everything about nature and its inhabitants who surround us. Why, in this case, even now rarely does anyone know that the raven is not at all the “husband of the crow”, but a separate species of birds, which includes males and females? Previously, I was also mistaken until I found out this question for myself in a little more detail.
So, a crow and a black raven are different birds, and belong to the family of corvids of the passerine family. Although some of us do not distinguish between these birds, which may seem very similar to each other.
Crow
The raven is the largest representative of the corvid family of the passerines; its length can reach 70 centimeters and its body weight can reach 1.5 kilograms. This bird is distinguished by its blue-black coat, thick, slightly bent cone-shaped beak, long wings and a medium-length tail. Sixty-five species of ravens have now been identified and are distributed almost throughout the world except New Zealand and South America. They are found in forests, steppes, deserts and mountains.
In winter, birds live in schools in landfills near cities. Nests are built on trees, rocks, coastal cliffs and high structures. The same nesting site is captured from generation to generation.
The black raven is a strong bird that nests in trees deep in the forest. Crows only live in pairs. These birds are distinguished by great devotion and fidelity to their mate. Quite often they sit huddled close to each other and rush around, as if connected by the threads of crow love.
Black crows are quite hardy birds; they have keen eyesight, excellent hearing and a keen sense of smell. These properties make them accurate hunters of small rodents and game. And the fact that they can withstand both heat and frost equally well makes it possible for them to live in the north, in the tropics, deserts, at elevations at an altitude of more than four thousand meters above sea level and in other places.
Crow
The crow is smaller in size than the raven. In Russia, the most common species is the gray crow. She has a black tail and head, and her body is smoky gray. The hooded crow lives in Northern Europe, North America, throughout Scandinavia and even in the Arctic Circle. In the lands of the former Soviet Union, the hooded crow is widespread up to the Yenisei, beyond which the territory of black crows advances.
Crows, our closest neighbors, are well adapted to survive in urban environments. They are not afraid of street noise, noisy human bustle, or a polluted habitat. These are omnivorous birds: in forests they feed on rodents, insects, carrion, in megacities they pick up leftover food near human habitation, in landfills and garbage dumps.
It should be noted that we see crows all year round, but some are mistaken in believing that they are the same individuals. When researchers first started ringing crows, it turned out that Moscow birds spend the winter near Kharkov and Kiev, St. Petersburg birds near Paris, Murmansk birds near St. Petersburg, and Arkhangelsk crows visit the Moscow region in winter. In the spring they return to their native lands and renew old nests.
When the first rays of the sun begin to warm in the spring, the willows and poplars that crows have chosen to build their nests begin to seethe with loud croaking activity that drowns out all neighboring sounds. Birds are busy in their homes, completing their construction and laying them with new branches, lining the bottom with moss, feathers, and dry grass. All these are indisputable signs of spring, from which human hearts rejoice, even without paying attention to the fact that the voices of these birds are rough and tuneless.
As previously mentioned, a crow is half the size of a raven, and it lives half as long. There is a belief that Ravens live for three hundred years, but their actual lifespan is much shorter. According to scientists, in the wild these birds live up to 10-15 years. However, at home, with appropriate care and favorable conditions, the life cycle can double or even triple.
Crows in myths and legends
Crows and ravens are considered the most highly developed among other birds. They are characterized by rare intelligence and dexterity. In some countries, these birds are protected by law.
However, despite all the positive qualities of these birds, their image in folklore is associated with dark forces. In particular, the black raven is often mentioned in folk legends and fairy tales, where it is required to resurrect a murdered young man with the help of living and dead water, which is most often carried by this particular bird.
The fact that the raven voluntarily feeds on carrion has given reason for many centuries to consider it the herald of death, associated with bloodshed, war and violence. During the times of Kievan Rus, flocks of such birds were perceived as harbingers of an attack by the Tatars.
And now people say: “If a raven screams over a house where a sick person lies, it is a bad omen.” And historians are also familiar with this fact. When Alexander the Great entered Babylon, a great flock of ravens accompanied his army. And only after Alexander died, it became clear to everyone why crows appeared at this particular time and in such huge numbers.
- It should be noted that the ancient Greeks had great respect for the raven. They considered it a sacred bird, seeing off Apollo, the patron of the augurs. In the opinion of the latter, this bird has supernatural power and can foretell the future.
- The Danes dedicated the raven to the god Odin. It was believed that Odin has two ravens, which he sends every morning to collect information about what has happened in the world. In the evening they come and whisper to him what they learned. And according to legend, the raven was once white, but because of his talkativeness he was painted black.
- In Tibet, the raven is a symbol of mediation between heaven and earth. Since ancient times he was revered there by making sacrifices.
- In Russian folklore, a raven is a bird of things: “An old raven will not caw by.” In the West and in the East, there are many different beliefs that this bird has the gift of magic, prophecy, and the ability to predict weather changes and death.
Once upon a time, superstitious people listened to the caw of a crow many times every morning. Based on whether this number was even or not, the weather was predicted. According to popular beliefs about warlocks and witches among the Slavs, ravens were their reliable helpers.
Raven as a pet
It has been recorded that the raven is able to imitate human speech, and therefore is perceived as a messenger capable of speaking the language of people. And since the color of his plumage is black, and his voice itself is dissonant, he is associated only with bad news, although honest.
Crows are considered extremely intelligent birds: they quickly learn to understand a person and easily obey her orders. If they are caught in captivity as yellowmouths, then, by repeating incoherent words, they learn them very quickly.
Some may argue that many birds are known, for example, magpies, starlings, and parrots perfectly copy human speech. But the imitation of a human voice in terms of clarity of word pronunciation among crows is quite high and even better than that of parrots.
And the crows, which today live in the courtyards on Yaroslavov Val, also know how to speak and amuse people with their dialogues! Crows have a fairly large vocabulary - up to 30-40 words. Raised from chicks by humans, crows become very devoted to them. This is confirmed by a lot of evidence from people who kept these birds in their homes. Having become accustomed to their owners, they may even try to protect them, showing aggression towards strangers or animals.
Of course, you don’t need to specifically catch crows to keep at home, but if fate gives you a chick with a broken wing, or a small crow that has slipped out of the nest, then raise it with love. The bird will grow big, beautiful, powerful over the summer and will be an extremely loyal raven to you.
Conditions of detention
There will be no special problems for him with food, since crows are undemanding and omnivorous. Naturally, you need to feed representatives of the corvid family as varied as possible: pieces of meat, fish, poultry, bread, cheese, steamed grain, and so on.
However, you should follow certain rules and requirements:
- chicken eggs should be added to the diet once every 1-2 days;
- chicks should be given minced meat;
- Birds should not be fed spicy, fried or salty foods.
Regarding the living conditions, the cage should be free, because crows love space, so they cannot live in a parrot cage. And it’s even better to be without a cage at all, using an aviary, which is much more spacious. Or after the bird gets used to it a little, leave the cage open, guaranteeing him free movement.
So, if you do everything right, take care and love your winged guest, then the reward for you and your family will be the cheerful shine of the black and blue beads of his eyes and the love of a bird that will never leave you.
The main differences between a raven and a raven
The most important difference between birds is the weight and body length of animals. Ravens are slightly larger in size and weight than black crows.
The second indicator is habitats. The raven's distribution range exceeds that of the crow.
Black Crow
Black Raven
Let's start with the wonderful stumbling block that the great and mighty Russian language has laid before us. Raven and crow are birds of different species. In English there is no such confusion as ours: a raven is called raven, and a crow is called crow.
Both birds belong to the same genus, ravens (Latin: Corvus) from the corvid family (Latin: Corvidae). In addition to several species of ravens and several crows, the genus Corvus also includes rooks and jackdaws. The common raven has black plumage with such a characteristic bluish or greenish tint that the black color with a cold metallic sheen is called the “color of the raven’s wing.”
The Raven differs from the black crow in size; it is noticeably larger - on average one and a half times larger. In flight, the difference between the birds is noticeable in the shape of the tail: the raven’s tail is wedge-shaped, while the crow’s is rounded. There are other differences that are difficult to see from afar, for example, the shape of the beak or the feathers on the throat, which characteristically puff up on a raven. Crows unite in flocks and feel great in the city, but crows rarely fly into the city and prefer to stay alone or in pairs. A flock of crows reacts to a raven with hostility, as they would to any large bird of prey. Close kinship does not protect against mutual aggression.
Both birds feed on carrion and are omnivorous. Both the raven and the crow are so smart that their level of intelligence can be compared to mammals. They make logical inferences, use tools, have a complex language of their own, and quite possibly can count. Ravens and crows can, in principle, be tamed. A bird living with a person is able to imitate human speech, and it understands words and uses them meaningfully, and not mechanically, like a parrot. People, as a rule, cannot distinguish one crow from another, but crows perfectly distinguish between people and can convey information about a “bad” person to their companions.
Which bird is included in myths, legends, poetry, cinema and computer games? In the virtual world, ravens are much more common. But there are also black crows. The color is mournful, it croaks ominously, and the exact belonging to the biological species is not significant for the symbol.
In the Old Testament story about the flood and Noah's Ark, the ravens were also punished by changing color. Initially, the raven was white, but when Noah released him from the ark to see if the water had subsided, the raven began to peck at the corpses and did not tell the righteous man what he was sent for. In anger, Noah cursed the bird, and the raven became black and bloodthirsty - the complete opposite of the white and meek dove that brought the righteous man an olive branch from the dry land in its beak.
In Russian, the verb “crawling” has become synonymous with “causing trouble.” During the Stalinist repressions in the USSR, black NKVD official vehicles used to transport prisoners were nicknamed “funnels.”
Counting crows is an activity for lazy people in Russian.
But such disrespect for these birds is not always fair. After all, we know from the Old Testament that it was the ravens that brought food to the prophet Elijah in the desert (1Ts 17:4), and the color of King Solomon’s hair in the song is compared with the color of the raven’s wing (Song 5:11).
In patristic literature, in particular in the life of St. Anthony the Great, we find a story about the saint’s acquaintance with another ascetic, Paul of Thebes, to whom a raven brought bread every day, providing him with food.
In Slavic fairy tales, a raven brings dead and living water to the hero, and they call him respectfully, by his patronymic - Voron Voronovich.
And the Romans did not hear anything sinister in the raven’s cry, but just an excuse - they say, “tomorrow, tomorrow!” (“cras, cras!”).
But in Great Britain there was a belief that if the ravens left the Tower, the fortress would collapse and the end of the British monarchy and Great Britain in general would come. During World War II, Winston Churchill ordered the feeding of the Tower's ravens for the sake of peace of mind.
Be that as it may, raven and crow are just birds, and often very cute, and therefore deserve respectful treatment, like any other creature of God.
Both the crow and the raven are species of birds belonging to the genus of birds Ravens, family Corvids. Both species are numerous throughout Russia, very close, and have much in common in their behavior. They are omnivores: they can feed on rodents, small birds and their chicks and eggs, large insects, and carrion. Birds also take advantage of the benefits of being close to humans, increasingly appearing in cities and villages and feeding on food waste in landfills and trash cans, stealing domestic ducks and chickens. But these birds can not only harm the household, but also sometimes benefit it by hunting mice and small rodents, beetles and locusts from the fields.
The crow can be gray and black, but the gray one is more familiar to city residents, so when we mention the crow, we will talk specifically about the gray crow. But let's look at the main differences between a crow and a raven.
Appearance
The largest bird of the Corvid family is the Raven, which is 1.5 times larger than the hooded crow. Its color is entirely black, but it is beautiful, since its head and back have a blue tint, and a purple sheen can be seen on the wings and craw. The crow is smaller, gray with a black head, wings and tail. Both birds are much larger than a pigeon and have a powerful beak. The wingspan of a crow is about 1 meter, while that of a raven reaches 1.4-1.5 meters.
Distribution and habitat
The crow is common in Eastern Europe, Scandinavia, from the west of Russia to the Yenisei, Asia Minor. In winter, crows migrate to warmer places, but many see crows in the city all year round. This is due to the fact that some crows fly to Europe, while others from the northern regions fly to their place. Therefore, it is quite difficult to track migration with the naked eye; ornithologists reveal this by ringing young individuals. In addition, crows living in forests gravitate towards cities and suburbs during the cold season.
Crows have adapted better than ravens to the urban environment, they can increasingly be found among residential buildings. Their nests can be found in parks and courtyards. The crow is very smart; in winter, she has learned to inspect the contents of bags outside windows and on balconies, open unfastened roofs of birdhouses, and also examine the contents of garbage cans. Crows are less common in urban areas, but are common in suburbs and rural areas. The raven learned to follow a hunter with a gun, waiting for the remnants of the shot prey. After all, carrion is the basis of food for ravens. Unlike crows, they keep a greater distance from humans.
The raven is much more widespread across the surface of the globe; it lives in North America, Eurasia, and North Africa. The raven's habitat is varied and is found in a variety of landscapes. In Russia, ravens live throughout the country. It leads a sedentary lifestyle, but in winter it can gravitate towards human habitation or landfills, forming flocks.
Nesting and lifespan
Crow arranging nests on trees in forests, parks and gardens. Prefers coniferous, less often deciduous trees. The nest is built from dry branches and is located low from the ground. In urban areas, crows can place nests on power transmission poles, cranes, and on the edges of roofs. 
Raven chooses for nests forests or river valleys. Its habitat is wider, so nests can be located very high in trees, on cliffs in the mountains, on sand dunes in deserts and even in burrows in areas without forests. The crow builds a nest in the fork of branches from thick branches, covering it with wool. In urban areas, the nest can be located on a tower, roof of a house, or bell tower.
In March, both bird species begin nesting, with the crow creating a new nest each season and the raven occupying the old one and repairing it. In this case, the raven forms one pair for life. Together, the parents feed the chicks, and at the end of May and beginning of June, 4-6 young chicks fly out of the nest.
The crow begins breeding at 2-5 years of age, the maximum recorded lifespan was 20 years. The raven is more tenacious; in the wild, its life is 10-15 years, in captivity a maximum lifespan of 75 years has been recorded. But often the raven dies at a young age: in the first years of life.
Image in culture
The image of a crow is often found in songs, fairy tales and fables. The well-known “Crow and the Fox”, where a thieving crow stole cheese and foxes. A children's song about a plasticine crow, or the famous album of singer Linda "Crow", as well as the composition "White Crow" from the group Chaif, shows that the image of a crow is often used in modern creativity.
But the image of the raven has really become widespread. In various myths, the raven is associated with the underworld, sky, and sun. The raven is also often associated in myths with death, because it often feeds on dead animals. The image of a black raven is widely praised in folk and modern songs.
The raven is widely traced in literature: Bunin, Charles De Lint, Martin, Green. There is even a film in cinema called “The Raven”, where the raven is the guardian angel of the main character. When depicted on coats of arms, a raven is associated with longevity and foresight.
In conclusion, it is worth noting that both birds, the raven and the crow, are very similar in their behavioral characteristics, high intelligence and lifestyle. The raven is more common on the planet, which determines the greater penetration of its image into mythology, world culture and creativity. However, living within the boundaries of a Russian city, you can more often meet a crow, which lives closer to human buildings. This is especially noticeable in winter. The raven remains a wilder symbol.
Recently an interesting question was asked in the comments: what is the difference between a raven and a crow? Perhaps it's just a male and a female? Of course not. These are two completely different species of the Corvidae family from the order Passeriformes. As a matter of fact, such confusion occurs, fortunately, only in the Russian language. For example, in my native Ukrainian, raven is “kruk”, and crow is “crow”. In English the word raven is "raven", and a crow is called "crow".
Even more confusion occurs when trying to distinguish a raven from a crow by appearance, but knowing some characteristic features, everything is quite simple. It’s worth clarifying right away that there are several types of crows. The most common of them are the gray crow (Corvus cornix) and the black crow (Corvus corone). And here the most interesting thing is that the black crow lives mainly in Western Europe and the eastern part of Eurasia, but we do not have it in the CIS (except for the eastern part of the Russian Federation). In our country you can only find the hooded crow, which has a gray body and black wings, head and tail. Thus, it is not difficult to distinguish it from a completely black crow. We are interested in the differences between the black crow (Corvus corone) and the common crow (Corvus corax).
What is the difference between a raven and a crow?
Dimensions. The body length of a common raven can reach 60 cm, while the black crow is smaller in size - the body length of an adult is up to 50 cm. A raven is noticeably larger than a crow.
Body mass . Adult males of the common crow can weigh 1-1.5 kg, while the black crow can only weigh up to 700 g.
Beak size. The common raven has a much thicker beak than the black crow. Although from afar it is not always noticeable.
Plumage of the crop. A distinctive feature of old individuals of the common raven is the elongated feathers of the crop. They characteristically puff up, resembling a “beard”.
Tail shape. This difference can only be noticed when the bird is flying. The crow's tail is rounded, while the common raven's tail has a wedge-shaped end.
Lifestyle. Black crows often gather in groups, while crows stay alone or in pairs.
Habitat. Ravens can often be found in the city, while the common raven avoids large populated areas and prefers to live in forests.
The crow has a nasal sound similar to the sound "ka!" (you can listen to her voice below).
In addition, it is worth noting that ravens and crows do not get along with each other and a flock of crows often attacks a lone raven. So, this is in no way a male and a female of the same species, and certainly not a husband and wife.
The difference between a crow and a rook
Some readers may have the following question. “How is it that we don’t have black crows? After all, they are found everywhere in populated areas, staying in groups, sitting on wires, picking up nuts and cawing at passers-by.” The fact is that these are not black crows, but ordinary rooks. They are often confused with each other. But the difference between crows and rooks is very noticeable. The base of the rook's beak, where the nostrils are located, is bare. Due to this, his beak appears lighter. The crow's is covered with black feathers.
And finally, watch a funny video about a domestic black crow, which takes care of four-legged pets and feeds them food.
It is generally accepted that the carrion crow and the common carrion are the same birds, female and male, but this is a misconception. The female crow is a crow, and the crow is a separate species. Moreover, both representatives belong to the same family of corvids. These birds have many differences, although they are similar in a number of characteristics. This is especially true for the behavior and color of plumage, so it is quite difficult to distinguish them with the naked eye.
Common raven: description and characteristics
The common raven is recognizable by its mass, powerful beak and throat feathers. The weight of the bird ranges from 800 to 1600 g, less often reaching 2 kg. Length - about 70 cm, wingspan twice as large - about one and a half meters. The beak is sharp and long. The coloring of the body and wings combines tints of rich black color.
Habitat: forest; you rarely see the bird in urban areas. There, crows often live in pairs. Before wintering, in mid-autumn, they unite in flocks to fly to warmer regions. By the way, if in summer a bird prefers the forest, then in winter it is more willing to reach out to humans and move closer to where it can easily get food. As a rule, these are rubbish heaps, cemeteries, landfills.
Among the varieties of raven, there are gray, white-billed, New Koledonsky, Antillean, white-cheeked.
Black Crow: description and characteristics
The bird got its name due to the black coloring of all parts of the body: beak, eyes, feathers, body, wings, paws. The bird lives in Central and Western Europe, eastern Siberia and the Far East.
Unlike Raven, she prefers to live in flocks rather than alone or in pairs, and is always close to humans. This way of life allows you to hunt and feed not only on carrion, but also on your own prey - small animals, mammals, other birds and their young, eggs, and fish.
Among the main types of crows, there are bristly crows, gray crows, bronze crows, white-necked crows, white crows, and Australian crows. Let's take a closer look.
Varieties of Carrion Crow
bristly
The bristly crow was named because of the short feathers on its neck. She has black plumage and a neatly harmonized beak. Lives in North Africa.
Gray
The hooded crow has a very interesting coloring: the neck region and head are covered with black or dark brown plumage, the wings are painted black with a brilliant blue sheen. The bird got its name due to the gray color of its body, with a smoky, very delicate tint.
In Russia, this species lives from the western part to the Yenisei. Birds can also be found in Scandinavia, Eastern Europe, and Asia Minor. These are sedentary nomadic birds, which only completely disappear from the northern part of their habitat only in winter.
Bronze
This crow is larger than other subspecies: its length reaches the size of ravens - 64 cm. The color is dark, with a brown tint. You can see a white spot on the back of the head. The bird is very fond of mountainous areas, and especially the high mountains of the African continent.
White-necked
This type of crow, as you might guess, has a white spot at the very base of the neck. Habitat - North America.
White
The variety is not distinguished as a separate species of crow. This is an albino individual that received counter-coloring as a result of mutation. Its character and behavior are no different from those of any other subspecies.
Australian
The Australian Crow has a bizarre wing plumage: they are black with a bright dark blue and green tint. The neck region of this bird looks very majestic: the feathers are long and thick. Habitat: the entire continent of Australia.
Differences and Similarities
Please note: if the black crow prefers solitude or at most one companion, then the crow will stick to the flock. Let's look at other differences:
- The crow is much smaller in size and weight: the body length reaches 50 cm, and the weight is 700 grams, while the crow is about 65 cm in size and weighs one and a half kilograms.
- The color of birds, although similar (to the naked eye), also differs: while the raven’s color is black with a bright blue tint, shiny, the crow’s color intensity and depth are less pronounced.
- The raven has a wedge-shaped tail, the crow has a rounded tail. A “beard” appears on the neck of long-lived ravens - long, thick feathers. Crows do not have such a feature.
- In flight, the raven is more majestic: it is able to soar above the ground, and before nesting, the male performs acrobatic shows in the air! The crow has a flapping, energetic flight.
- The crow can be seen in the western part of Europe and in the east of Eurasia; it tries to settle closer to humans all year round. The common crow lives mainly in the Northern Hemisphere: in the northern part of the USA, in Europe, in North Africa.
- A raven, which scientists have recognized as intellectually developed, is more suitable for home keeping. There are often cases when the owner managed to teach this bird words.
Among the similarities, we can highlight the fact that both representatives of the corvid family are undemanding when it comes to food. They prefer carrion as the most affordable food. They also eat small animals, mammals, vegetation, and waste.
Nesting period for both members of the family
The common raven begins nesting at the end of winter - beginning of spring, when the air gets warmer and it is possible to insulate the nest enough so that the chicks do not freeze. The mating period preceding the laying of eggs is unusual: during this time, the male performs all sorts of acrobatic tricks in the sky in front of the female, walks around her with his head held high, shows playfulness, and sometimes aggression.
Both build the nest. It is usually located in the openings of large tall trees or on steep cliffs. Both the male and female bring branches of different sizes to build the base. Dry grass, wool, feathers, down and other soft and warm materials are placed on it. The lateral bases of the bird are built from moss and earth.
As a result, the house for the chicks turns out to be very warm, cozy and suitable for subsequent nesting.
Crow eggs, of which there are approximately 5-6 pieces, are turquoise-blue in color, with dark small specks. Hatching lasts two to three weeks, then the chicks need several more weeks to gain strength.
In the black crow, reproduction occurs in much the same way, at the age of two years. However, nesting begins a little later - in early to mid-spring. The crow's nest is smaller, the eggs in the clutch are darker in color, and the female lays about 4-5 eggs.
How many years do black crows and ravens live?
The lifespan of a common raven depends on the conditions in which it lives. In a city where birds do not spend much energy getting food, this period is 25-30 years.
Ravens living in landfills, garbage dumps and other places where the air is most polluted will live three times less. In forest spaces (including wintering near humans), birds can live for 15 years.
In rare cases, an individual can live up to 40 years. Moreover, many scientists claim that if a crow is provided with the most favorable living conditions, its life expectancy can reach 70 years.
The black crow lives in the wild for about 10-13 years, under human care - up to 40, but this is rare.
What do you know about the crow and the raven? Please leave comments and share the article with your friends.