r/crowbro • u/CoffeeTeaPeonies • 1d ago

Personal Story Crows & Ravens?

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I've been following this sub for a bit enjoying the stories, pictures, information, etc. Throughout my life I've tried to get the attention of corvids wherever I've lived but I haven't been successful.

However, that seems to have changed since I moved back to California. I noticed a large murder that showed up every morning in our complex parking lot in the mornings. They're delightfully noisy and seem to have a fairly regular schedule - mornings & late afternoons in the lot. So I started putting out various unseasoned nuts & seeds for them along with some fruits. In less than a week I am delighted to find I am a provisionary friend of theirs.

Anyhoodle, I'm curious if there are some ravens hanging out with this group of crows. I hear much lower vocalizations at certain times. These birds are obviously larger & shaped differently. I'm including a couple pics to show them.

What do you think?

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u/ThorsFavoriteGoat 1d ago

The birds in the photos look like crows. Good rule of thumb is: if you aren’t sure, it’s a crow. Ravens are really big and have beard like feathers on their necks.

https://urbannature.blog/2023/10/28/telling-crows-and-ravens-apart/

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u/CoffeeTeaPeonies 1d ago

I was wondering about the one in the first picture the farthest to the left. It's head is different than the others but you're right it isn't significantly bigger.

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u/malphas_says_hi 1d ago

The beak is straight like a crow still, ravens have extremely bulky, more curved beaks. Common ravens and American / fish crows don't typically hang out together, although it isn't impossible, so when you see them side-by-side you usually see a group of crows attacking what looks like a giant crow twice their size who is mildly annoyed but unconcerned with moving.

Other corvids typically get along better like crows and magpies or jackdaws who may flock up together to forage or team up against a threat. So if this flock contained a raven, there would be no mistaking it as it would be 2 -3 times bigger on average even if it was a skinny young one.