18/10/2025
Flying into another Halloween-themed Wildlife Wednesday: caw, caw, croak, croak!!
Ravens (Corvus corax) and crows (Corvus brachyrhynchos) are among the most widespread, intelligent, and resilient birds found in Alberta and across the globe. Part of the corvid family of birds, they’re fascinating, entertaining, and inspiring— found in poems, movies, songs, and paintings from ancient times to modern classics.
Quoth the raven: here's some quick facts about these brilliant birds...
🐦⬛ They recognize faces of other birds and people. In fact, when one generation of birds is wronged by a human, they'll teach their offspring to dislike that human as well. So be nice.
🐦⬛ Ravens and crows are found in poems, movies, mythology stories and folk tales from around the world. They hold great importance to Indigenous cultures, and in pop culture, they’re found in everything from "Game of Thrones" and "The Crow" to Poe's infamous poem “The Raven,” and Hitchcock's “The Birds”.
🐦⬛ Ravens can put together cause and effect: A study in the US found that during hunting season, a gunshot would attract ravens looking for a carcass... but the birds ignored other loud noises like airhorns.
🐦⬛ Crows are extremely social birbs, rarely seen alone (in fact, crows will sometimes gather in groups of up to 2 MILLION), and like to sleep in shared roosting areas (some of which have been established for over 100 years, even despite areas being urbanized).
🐦⬛ Both these birds are known to create and use tools. Sticks and stones? Yes. Mitre saw or can opener? Perhaps. And both birds can learn to speak (human languages, that is, they already are masters of birbology).
But you knew all that. How about a new skill to impress our crow and raven neighbours?
Here’s how to tell them apart, thanks to a fantastic guide drawn by Bird and Moon Comics:
🪶 Ravens have fancy long throat feathers, while crows have smooth ones
🪶 Ravens have a wedge-shaped tail while crows have a fan-shaped tail
🪶 Ravens croak, while crows caw (we’re not sure what they’re discussing; we’re just happy to stay on their good side).
