The Difference Between Ravens and Crows





I have been asked so many times and have heard that ravens and crows are the same bird. They really are to different birds belonging to the same family.

I searched the web and have found pictures and facts to show you the differences. Above are 2 ravens. Ravens when full grown are about the size of hawks. Here is an excellent picture of a raven.



Notice the short, rounded beak. Ravens like to walk rather than hop like most birds. They aren't too afraid of humans either. I have gotten pretty close to one without it running or flying away.

Here is a picture of a crow.


A crow is about the size of a pigeon. It's beak comes to a point. Another major difference is the shape of their feathers. A ravens feather tips come to a V while the crows come to a half moon. You can't really see that in the picture of the crow but if you look closely to the gorgeous raven, you can tell.

I don't know why I find myself so attracted to ravens. My friends have said ravens are plain looking and not very interesting. I guess a raven really reflects me. Plain on the outside, but complex inside. Ravens are very smart and, if you are lucky to have one as a pet (which I would love to do, but they are illegal where I live), you can teach them to talk.

If you have any questions or information I could add to this page, e-mail me!

Some information and pictures provided here are from The Aviary. An excellent resource for finding information on corvidaes.