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Gregg Symons
State College, Pennsylvania USA
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Crows and ravens are very similar looking birds in flight. For a day hiker or novice birder, telling the two apart can be tricky. It may be helpful to consider these 4 characteristics when trying to distinguish between the two:
(1) Voice: crows "caw" very recognizably; the raven croaks, creaks and "tok"s.
(2) Location: crows can cohabitate with humans or live in the wild; ravens prefer to stay away from people entirely.
(3) Behavior: crows fly with other crows, and usually make a racket; ravens fly solo and usually seem more graceful.
(4) Body shape: the raven is a bigger bird with a longer, rounder, tail. The crow's tail appears fanned but clipped short.
I put up this educational placard along Spring Creek in Houserville, a suburb of State College (Penn State University). The area is a wooded strip of no-man's land where locals can walk, jog, swim or walk their dogs.
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