Crow vs. Raven - What’s the Difference?
1. Bill
The easiest way to distinguish these birds is by their bills. A closer look reveals how different they can be. Some ravens and crows (Corvus) have particularly short bills, while others may have long and pointed ones. There are also those with thick and robust bills. Often, the upper bill is curved and slightly points downward at the tip.
Rooks and carrion crows can be tricky to tell apart since they are roughly the same size and have similarly colored plumage. However, there is a simple trick for identification: the carrion crow has a uniformly black bill, whereas the rook has a light gray bill.
Common ravens and American crows are also quite similar. But: the common raven is nearly twice the size of the American crow. Additionally, its bill is significantly longer, as are the throat feathers or hackles on its neck. The tail of the common raven is wedge-shaped, while the American crow's tail is fan-shaped.
Bill of the Jackdaw (Corvus monedula):
Black, short, and pointed
Bill of the Rook (Corvus frugilegus):
Light, long, pointed, and narrow; slightly curved
Bill of the Carrion Crow (Corvus corone):
Black, broad, and strong, slightly curved
Bill of the American Crow (Corvus brachyrhynchos):
Black, large, strong
Bill of the Hooded Crow (Corvus cornix):
Black, broad, and strong, slightly curved
Bill of the Common Raven (Corvus corax):
Black, large, and robust, slightly curved
Ravens Do Not Have Yellow Bills
It is often claimed that there are ravens and crows with yellow bills. This is likely a mix-up with the European blackbird (Turdus merula), which is neither a raven nor a crow, but a thrush. Perhaps the Alpine chough (Pyrrhocorax graculus) is being referred to. It has a yellow bill and is a corvid (Corvidae), but it does not belong strictly to the ravens and crows (Corvus). By the way, the chough is in the same genus as the Alpine crow, which has a red bill. Both have red legs.
Alpine Chough and Alpine Crow - Photo: Mario (Alpine chough), lapis2380 (alpine crow)/stock.adobe.com
- Table of Contents
- 0. Introduction
- 1. Bill
- 2. Plumage
- 3. Size
- 4. Special Features
- 5. Summary
