Considered one of the smartest as well as most abundant birds in the world, crows need no introduction. These birds have a tendency to stand out, be it for their harsh caw! caw! caw! calls, their overall black appearance, or their surprisingly large brains.
But are crows truly as unique as you thought? While some of their attributes might be extraordinary, in terms of appearances, these corvids have many lookalikes, both in their own family as well as in other bird families. In this article, we’ll talk about 25 birds that can easily be confused for crows and explore their similarities and differences between them.
Common Raven
Scientific name: Corvus corax
Height: 54-67 centimeters (21-26 inches)
Weight: 0.69-2 kilograms
Wingspan: 115-150 centimeters (45-51 inches)
Lifespan: around 10-15 years
Did you know that the brains of Common Ravens are larger than any other bird species? Yes, it’s true. These birds are among the most intelligent creatures on this planet and are found in woodlands of coniferous forests all around the northern hemisphere.
Common Ravens have black, iridescent plumage with brownish-grey feathers slightly protruding from their throats. They have large and slightly curved bills and brown irises. Their tails, legs, and feet are all black and considerably large. Interestingly, the bills of the Common Ravens found in warmer regions are shorter in size when compared to the bills of the birds found in colder regions.
The adult Common Ravens display almost no sexual dimorphism. However, in some rare cases, it’s been found that the males are slightly larger than their female counterparts and also possess slightly longer feet.
Their resemblance with Crows:
The pure black, iridescent plumage that Crows and Common Ravens share might confuse you, but that’s about it.
Here’s how you can distinguish between the two birds:
- Ravens are considerably larger than crows.
- Crows have considerably smaller bills when compared to Ravens’.
- The tails of Ravens appear wedge-like, whereas Crows’ tails have a rounded, fan-like structure.
Brewer’s Blackbird
Scientific name: Euphagus cyanocephalus
Height: 20-26 centimeters (8-10 inches)
Weight: 63 grams
Wingspan: 39.3 centimeters (15.5 inches)
Lifespan: around 10-12.5 years
Named after the ornithologist Thomas Mayo Brewer, Brewer’s Blackbirds like to breed in the marshes, woodlands, and meadows of western North America. However, these birds adapt quickly and are also found nesting in man-made habitats frequently, such as parks, city streets, and golf courses.
Brewer’s Blackbirds display sexual dimorphism in their plumage, with the males having a darker plumage and slightly larger than the females.
Male Brewer’s Blackbirds have black crowns and throats with purple iridescence and glossy blue and green highlights over the rest of their bodies. Their bills, feet, and legs are black, coupled with bright yellow eyes. The females, on the other hand, have a greyish-brown plumage with only slight iridescence. Moreover, they also have brown eyes as opposed to the males’ yellow ones.
Their resemblance with Crows:
Crows and Brewer’s Blackbirds resemble each other in size and their plumage. Although their colors of iridescence are slightly different, they still appear the same in a quick glimpse.
Here’s how you can tell these two birds apart:
- The most significant distinction between Crows and Blackbirds is the color of their eyes. The adult Crows have brown eyes, while Blackbirds’ eyes are bright yellow.
- Crows have black heads, while Blackbirds have glossy, purple heads.
- Crows are also larger than Blackbirds and have larger bills.
Boat-tailed Grackle
Scientific name: Quiscalus major
Height: 37-43 centimeters (15-17 inches)
Weight: 165-250 grams
Wingspan: 39-50 centimeters (15-20 inches)
Lifespan: around 10-14 years
Boat-tailed Grackles are native to the southeastern United States, remaining strictly coastal throughout the year. However, a few birds are also found in the Florida peninsula. These birds display a strong sexual dimorphism in their plumage.
Adult males have black and blue iridescent plumage with long, keel-shaped tails. Their eyes are pale yellow, coupled with dark, moderately long bills.
On the other hand, their female counterparts have tawny brown plumage, except for their darker flight feathers and tails, which are shorter than the males’. They’re also shorter than the males in size and weight.
Their resemblance with Crows:
Besides the glossy black plumage, there isn’t much resemblance between Crows and Boat-tailed Grackles.
Here are some major differences between their appearances:
- As is evident from the name, Boat-tailed Grackles have much longer tails when compared to the Crows.
- Crows have dull black iridescence on their plumage, whereas the grackles have shiny blue iridescence.
- Crows have a small tuft of feathers around their throats, which the grackles lack.
Jackdaw
Scientific name: Corvus monedula
Height: 34-39 centimeters (13-15 inches)
Weight: Around 240 grams
Wingspan: 64-73 centimeters (25-28 inches)
Lifespan: Around 5 years
Jackdaw, also known as European Jackdaw, Eurasian Jackdaw, and Western Jackdaw, can be commonly found in Europe, North Africa, and Western Asia. They have adapted well to man-made habitats, nesting in old buildings, chimneys, and in the cavities of trees and cliffs.
These birds look alike, displaying no sexual dimorphism in size or plumage. Adult Jackdaws have a glossy black plumage with purple/blue sheen on their crowns and foreheads and a greenish-blue sheen on their throats and tail feathers. Their faces and the neck regions are light-greyish, with slate grey underparts. They have black bills and feet, and their eyes are white with black irises.
Their resemblance with Crows:
The black, glossy plumage, bills, and feet of the Jackdaws resemble those of Crows, which is why they might appear similar from a distance. The fact that they’re both medium-sized birds also increases the resemblance.
Here’s how you can tell both of these bird species apart:
- Crows have eyes that range from dark brown to black, whereas Jackdaws have white eyes with black irises.
- Crows have longer, flatter bills compared to the Jackdaws, which have short, stout bills.
Alpine Chough
Scientific name: Pyrrhocorax graculus
Height: 37-39 centimeters (15 inches)
Weight: 144-277 grams
Wingspan: 75-85 centimeters (30-33 inches)
Lifespan: around 8-10 years
Alpine Choughs are found in the mountains of Spain, Southern Europe, Central Asia, and Western China, preferring to nest in the grasslands above the tree lines at high altitudes.
The adults display sexual dimorphism in size, with the males being slightly larger and heavier than their female counterparts. Both sexes have glossy black plumage. Their bills are small and bright yellowish, and they have red legs and black feet.
Their resemblance with Crows:
The only resemblance between Crows and Alpine Choughs is their black, iridescent plumage. They’re also somewhat similar in size.
Here’s how you can tell both of these birds apart:
- Crows’ bills are black and longer than the bright yellow ones on the Alpine Choughs.
- Like the rest of their body, Crows have black legs while the Alpine Choughs have vibrant red legs.
- Crows have brownish-black eyes, whereas the Choughs have pure black eyes.
Rusty Blackbird
Scientific name: Euphagus carolinus
Height: 21.5-24.8 centimeters (8.5-9.8 inches)
Weight: 60 grams
Wingspan: 35.5 centimeters (14 inches)
Lifespan: around 8-9 years
The Rusty Blackbirds are a vulnerable blackbird species that prefer to breed in the wet, forested areas across Northern Canada and wintering southeast in the United States. These birds display slight sexual dimorphism in their plumage, with the females having overall greyer plumage than the males.
Rusty Blackbirds have black iridescent plumage with purple or blue iridescence all over them. The rusty in their name comes from their rusty-brown winter plumage. They have yellow eyes with black irises and short, pointy bills. Both their legs and feet are matte black.
Their resemblance with Crows:
Besides their summer plumage, there’s not much similarity between Crows and Rusty Blackbirds
Here’s how you can distinguish these birds:
- Crows are considerably larger and heavier than Rusty Blackbirds.
- Rusty Blackbirds have short, pointy bills, whereas crows have comparatively longer, flattened bills.
- Crows have brown eyes, while the Rusty Blackbirds have yellow eyes with black irises.
Fan-tailed Raven
Scientific name: Corvus rhipidurus
Height: 47-51 centimeters (18.5-20 inches)
Weight: around 500-740 grams
Wingspan: 102-120 centimeters (40-47 inches)
Lifespan: around 8-15 years
Named after their fan-shaped tail, the Fan-tailed Ravens are a large Raven species found in the deserts and the open, dry country of Eastern Africa and the Arabian Peninsula. You can often find them soaring (flying without flapping their wings) under the scorching sun.
Fan-tailed Ravens have rich, black iridescent plumage with a blue and purple sheen. Their legs, feet, bills, and eyes are black as well. Only a few feathers at the base of their throats are stark white, but they can only be seen if the wind blows the wrong way.
The adults of this species display sexual dimorphism in size, not in their plumage. The males are sometimes slightly larger than their female counterparts and have longer feet as well.
Their resemblance with Crows:
Crows and Fan-tailed Ravens have black plumage, including their legs, feet, bills, and eyes. Their iridescence is also similar to some extent.
Here’s how you can distinguish between Crows and Fan-tailed Ravens:
- The most significant point of distinction is their tails. As is evident from their names, Fan-tailed Ravens have long, fan-like tails, whereas Crows have comparatively shorter tails.
- Fan-tailed Ravens are significantly larger and heavier than Crows.
- Crows lack the splash of color that the Fan-tailed Ravens have at the base of their throats.
Carib Grackle
Scientific name: Quiscalus lugubris
Height: Around 27 centimeters (10.6 inches)
Weight: 49-80 grams
Lifespan: Around 15 years
Named after the Caribs of South America, the Carib Grackles are a New World Blackbird species found in the lightly wooded areas and agricultural towns of Northern South America, Columbia, Venezuela, Northeastern Brazil, and the Lesser Antilles.
The adults display heavy sexual dimorphism, both in their size and plumage. The males have yellow eyes and an iridescent black plumage with a Violet sheen. Their female counterparts are slightly smaller in size and have dark eyes, brown plumage, and shorter tails. Their underparts are a darker shade of brown. Both sexes have identical black bills, greyish legs, and feet.
Their resemblance with Crows:
Carib Grackles strongly resemble Crows, primarily due to their glossy black plumage.
Here’s how you can tell the two bird species apart:
- Crows are larger and heavier than the Carib Grackles.
- Carib Grackles have a splash of yellow in their eyes, whereas crows have dark brown eyes.
- Crows have shorter tails when compared to the Grackles.
Shiny Cowbird
Scientific name: Molothrus bonariensis
Height: Around 18 centimeters (7 inches)
Weight: 31-40 grams
Wingspan: 30-35 centimeters (11-13 inches)
Lifespan: Around 5 years
The Shiny Cowbirds are an icterid species found in North and South America, and the Caribbean Islands. These birds thrive in open habitats like agricultural lands and lands disrupted by deforestation.
Adult Shiny Cowbirds display sexual dimorphism both in size and plumage. The males have all-black, iridescent plumage with a purple and blue sheen. Their legs, feet, and eyes are also black, while their bills are grey. On the other hand, the females are much smaller in size, with a dull brown plumage and lighter underparts. The bills in both sexes are grey, small, conical, and pointy.
Their resemblance with Crows:
Shiny Cowbirds resemble Crows in their black plumage and iridescent plumage. Their eyes, legs, bills, and feet are also similar to the Crows’.
Here’s how you can differentiate between Shiny Cowbirds and Crows:
- Crows are significantly larger than the Shiny Cowbirds in size.
- The Cowbirds have small, pointy bills, whereas Crows have curved, flattened bills.
Velvet-fronted Grackle
Scientific name: Lampropsar tanagrinus
Height: Around 22 centimeters (9 inches)
Weight: 59.4 grams
Lifespan: Around 17-22 years
The monotypic members of their genus, Velvet-fronted Grackles are medium-sized grackles found in sub-tropical and tropical swamps and heavily deforested forests of South America.
Adult Velvet-fronted Grackles display sexual dimorphism in size, with the males slightly larger than the females of the species. Both sexes have entirely black plumage, with the upper parts having an iridescent, blue sheen. Their feet, legs, and eyes are all black.
The feathers on their crowns are so small that when paired with the iridescence, they give them a velvet-like appearance, which is how they were named. Their bills are black and similar to those of the Shiny Cowbirds in shape: grey, short, conical, and pointy.
Their resemblance with Crows:
Both Velvet-fronted Grackles and Crows are similar in their black, iridescent plumage. Their eyes, legs, bills, and feet are also the same color.
Here’s how you can tell these birds apart:
- Crows are slightly larger and heavier than the Velvet-fronted Grackles.
- The Grackles have small, sharp-edged bills, whereas the bills of crows are longer and lack their sharpness.
Common Blackbird
Scientific name: Turdus merula
Height: 23.5-29 centimeters (9-11.5 inches)
Weight: 80-125 grams
Wingspan: 34-38 centimeters (13.3-15 inches)
Lifespan: around 2-4 years
Also referred to as Eurasian Blackbird, the Common Blackbird is a true thrush species endemic to Europe, Asiatic Russia, and North America. These birds prefer to inhabit orchards, vineyards, and gardens, but they’ve adapted to man-made habitats as well.
Adult Common Blackbirds display sexual dimorphism in their plumage. Interestingly, these birds also display sexual dimorphism in egg size, with the larger eggs containing the male embryos.
The males have a glossy black plumage with brownish-black legs and feet, whereas the females have a sooty-brown plumage with weak, white mottling on their breasts. Both sexes have brown eyes with orange rings around them. Their bills are also orangish in color but tend to darken during the winters.
The resemblance with Crows:
The only resemblance between Common Blackbirds and Crows is their iridescent black plumage.
Now, let’s discuss how you can tell these birds apart:
- Crows are slightly larger and heavier than Common Blackbirds.
- Common Blackbirds have orange rings around their eyes which crows lack.
- Common Blackbirds have orange bills, unlike the grey bills of crows.
European Starling
Scientific name: Sturnus vulgaris
Height: About 20 centimeters (8 inches)
Weight: 58-100 grams
Wingspan: 31-44 centimeters (12-17 inches)
Lifespan: About 2-3 years
Commonly found in Ireland and Great Britain, the European Starling are an invasive species in the United States. They are highly adapted to rural and urban neighborhoods, but their preferred breeding grounds are open grasslands.
Adult European Starlings display sexual dimorphism in plumage. The males have an iridescent black plumage with purple or glossy blue sheen on their upper parts, and it’s all mottled with white. They also have long and loose feathers around the base of their throats. Their legs and feet are pinkish-red, and they have yellow bills with grey bases.
The females of the species have the same iridescent plumage, but their underparts are more mottled than the males. The feathers around the base of their throats are tight and pointed, and they have yellow beaks with pink bases. Both sexes have narrow bills that are conical and pointy.
Their resemblance with Crows:
The only resemblance between Crows and European Starlings is their iridescent black plumage.
Here’s how you can distinguish between these two birds:
- Crows are significantly larger and heavier than European Starlings.
- European Starlings have white mottling on their underparts, which the crows lack.
- Crows have long, grey bills, whereas Starlings have short, pointy yellow bills.
Little Raven
Scientific name: Corvus mellori
Height: 48-51 centimeters (18-20 inches)
Weight: 360-660 grams
Wingspan: Around 95 centimeters (37 inches)
Lifespan: Around 18-20 years
Native to southeastern Australia, Little Ravens are found in the plains, suburbs, woodlands, and agricultural areas of their region. Despite their name, these birds are middle-sized and are adaptable in almost all man-made habitats.
Like the other raven species, Little Ravens display no sexual dimorphism in plumage. Both sexes have completely black plumage, including their legs, feet, and bills, with the exception of white eyes.
Their resemblance with Crows:
There’s much resemblance between Crows and Little Ravens. If seen from a distance, it’s pretty easy to get confused with the black iridescent plumage, black legs, feet, and bills.
Here’s how you can tell these two apart:
- Little Ravens are slightly larger than Crows.
- Crows have brown eyes, whereas the Ravens have white eyes.
Rook
Scientific name: Corvus frugilegus
Height: 44-46 centimeters (17-18 inches)
Weight: 280-240 grams
Wingspan: 81-99 centimeters (32-39 inches)
Lifespan: 5-10 years
The Rooks are a large corvid species commonly found in Scandinavia, eastern Europe, and Western Europe. These birds inhabit tall trees near urban and rural settlements. The adults display slight sexual dimorphism in size, with the males being larger than the females.
Rooks have black plumage with an iridescent blue and purple sheen. Their legs and feet are also black, with dark brown irises and greyish-black bills. They have a white patch below their eyes and around the base of their bills, making their bills appear longer than they are. This large white spot on their faces distinguishes them from their close relatives.
Their resemblance with Crows:
Rooks and Crows resemble each other greatly with their iridescent black plumage, legs, and feet.
Here’s how you can tell them apart:
- Rooks are slightly larger in size than crows.
- Crows lack the distinctive white patch at the base of their bills that the Rooks sport.
Great-tailed Grackle
Scientific name: Quiscalus mexicanus
Height: 38-46 centimeters (15-18 inches)
Weight: 205-265 grams
Wingspan: 48-58 centimeters (19-23 inches)
Lifespan: 7-12 years
Great-tailed Grackles, also called Mexican Grackles, are native to South or North America. Like most grackles, these highly adaptable birds can nest anywhere from agricultural towns and pastures to golf courses and neighborhood lawns.
The adults of this species display a strong sexual dimorphism in both size and plumage, with the adult females being half the size of the adult males.
The males have an iridescent black plumage and a glossy purple sheen. Their long tails trail behind them, usually in a fan-like structure. They can also fold their tails vertically by aligning the two halves. On the other hand, the females have a dull brown plumage with darker wings and tails. Both sexes have bright yellow eyes and flattened greyish bills.
Their resemblance with Crows:
Great-tailed Grackles and Crows both have iridescent black plumage, which is why they appear similar from a distance.
Here’s how you can tell these two birds apart:
- Great-tailed Grackles are slightly larger than the crows.
- Crows have medium-length tails, nowhere near as long as that of the Great-tailed Grackles.
- Grackles have yellow eyes, while crows have dark brown eyes.
Thick-billed Raven
Scientific name: Corvus crassirostris
Height: 60-70 centimeters (24-28 inches)
Weight: 1150-1500 grams
Lifespan: 10-15 years
Thick-billed Ravens are moderately-sized birds native to Somalia, Ethiopia, and Eritrea. They like to nest in holes inside trees and on cliffs. Like most other Raven species, they display no sexual dimorphism in plumage.
Thick-billed Ravens have an iridescent black plumage, brown gloss all over their throats and breasts, and black gloss over the rest of their bodies. Their bills are large, bulged, and deeply curved in profile, giving them their name. They have two distinctive white spots: one at the back of their heads and another at the tip of their bills. Their underparts are spotted with white.
Their resemblance with Crows:
The only resemblance that Crows and Thick-billed Ravens share is their black, iridescent plumage.
Here’s how you can tell these birds apart:
- Thick-billed Ravens are significantly larger than crows.
- The distinctive white marks and white spots on the Ravens’ breasts are absent in crows.
- Crows lack the large, distinctive bills of the Thick-billed Ravens.
Bronzed Cowbird
Scientific name: Molothrus aeneus
Height: 18-20 centimeters (7-8 inches)
Weight: 56-68 grams
Wingspan: Around 35.5 centimeters (14 inches)
Lifespan: Around 6 years
Commonly spotted in the Southwestern and Central states of the United States, the Bronzed Cowbirds are a small cowbird species that prefers to inhabit the rural countryside. These birds are obligate brood parasites, meaning they lay their eggs in the nests of other birds.
The adult Bronzed Cowbirds display slight sexual dimorphism in their plumage. The males have an iridescent black plumage, except for their flight feathers which are glossy blue. Their eyes are red with black irises. They have greyish legs and feet, and their bills are dark, short, and pointy.
On the other hand, the females have a dull black plumage without the iridescent sheen. Both their underparts and eyes are brown in color.
Their resemblance with Crows:
Crows and Bronzed Cowbirds have the same iridescent black plumage, but that’s where the similarities between them end.
Here’s how you can distinguish between the two birds:
- Crows have dark brown eyes, whereas Bronzed Cowbirds have red eyes with black irises.
- Crows are significantly larger and heavier than these cowbirds.
- Bronzed Cowbirds have relatively short and pointy beaks, while crows have comparatively longer and flatter bills.
Red-billed Chough
Scientific name: Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax
Height: 39-40 centimeters (15-16 inches)
Weight: 310 grams
Wingspan: 73-90 centimeters (29-35 inches)
Lifespan: About 7-17 years
Red-billed Choughs, also called Cornish Chough, are a corvid species found in Western Great Britain, Ireland, and central and Southern Asia. These birds are sexually dimorphic in size, with the males larger than the females.
These birds have black plumage with uniform iridescence all over their body and long, curved bills that are red in color. Their legs and feet are pinkish-red, and they have black eyes.
Their resemblance with Crows:
Red-billed Choughs are similar to Crows due to their iridescent black plumage. Both of these bird species are also nearly the same size.
Here’s how you can tell these birds apart:
- Crows have a glossy, greenish-blue sheen over their plumage that Red-billed Choughs lack.
- Red-billed Choughs have red bills, whereas the bills of crows are grey.
- Crows have black feet and legs, while the legs of Red-billed Coughs are red.
Spotless Starling
Scientific name: Sturnus unicolor
Height: 21-23 centimeters (8.2-9 inches)
Weight: 70-100 grams
Wingspan: 38-42 centimeters (15-16.5 inches)
Lifespan: 2-3 years
Closely related to the Common Starlings, the Spotless Starlings are a non-migratory starling species found within the confined range between northwest Africa and southernmost France to the islands of Sicily, Corsica, and Sardinia. Much like other starlings, these birds don’t display sexual dimorphism in plumage or size.
Spotless Starlings have a glossy black plumage with purple and green iridescence on their heads and underparts, respectively. They also have long feathers on their throats, giving them a bearded appearance. Their legs and feet are bright pink. Their bills turn yellow in summers with a bluish base and turn almost black during winters.
Their resemblance with Crows:
The iridescent plumage of the Spotless Starlings closely resembles that of the crows.
Here’s how you can tell these two bird species apart:
- Spotless Starlings have bright-pink legs and feet, whereas crows have black legs and feet.
- Crows have black bills as opposed to the Starlings’ yellow ones.
- Crows are significantly larger and heavier in size than the Spotless Starlings.
White-collared Blackbird
Scientific name: Turdus albocinctus
Height: 28 centimeters (11 inches)
Weight: 90-107 grams
Lifespan: around 3-4 years
White-collared Blackbirds are members of the Thrush family that have an abundant population throughout the Indian subcontinent. These blackbirds prefer to inhabit the high-altitude shrublands and moist montane forests within their range.
True to their name, these blackbirds possess a bold white collar around their throat, which stands in stark contrast with the rest of their dark bodies.
Being sexually dimorphic in plumage, the males have a pitch-black plumage, whereas their female counterparts are brown. Both sexes share orange bills, eye rings, legs, and feet.
Their resemblance with Crows:
Both the eyes and plumage of White-collared Blackbirds are black, just like that of the crows.
Here are some major differences between their appearances:
- Crows are slightly larger but significantly heavier than White-collared Blackbirds.
- Their dark bills and legs contrast the bright orange bills and legs of the latter.
- Crows lack the eye rings that the Blackbirds possess.
Brown-headed Cowbird
Scientific name: Molothrus ater
Height: 16-22 centimeters (6.3-8.7 inches)
Weight: 30-60 grams
Wingspan: 36 centimeters (14 inches)
Lifespan: around 16 years
Popular for their brood parasitic nature, the Brown-headed Cowbirds are a tiny cowbird species that are endemic to the subtropical and temperate areas of North America.
Brown-headed Cowbirds have small heads and bills that resemble the finches, while the rest of their bodies are stocky. The adult sexes display dimorphism in both size and plumage. The larger males possess a brown head coupled with iridescent black plumage.
On the other hand, their female counterparts are slightly smaller and have an overall dull brown plumage. The dark eyes and legs are identical in both sexes.
Their resemblance with Crows:
Both Brown-headed Cowbirds and Crows have dark eyes, shiny bills, and an overall black plumage.
Here’s how you can tell them apart:
- Brown-headed Cowbirds are significantly smaller than crows and weigh much lighter as well.
- Their heads are brown, unlike Crows’ dark heads.
- Their bills are shorter and more pointed than that of the Crows.
Forest Raven
Scientific name: Corvus tasmanicus
Height: 50-53 centimeters (20-21 inches)
Weight: 650 grams
Wingspan: 91-113 centimeters (36-44 centimeters)
Lifespan: around 13-15 years
Also called Tasmanian Ravens, the Forest Ravens are the largest of all Australian raven species. These corvids prefer to inhabit the closed forests of mainland Australia and also happen to be the only permanent raven species in Tasmania.
Forest Ravens are large birds with white eyes, broad wings, a wedge-shaped tail, and an overall glossy black plumage with a green or blue iridescence. Both sexes of this species look like this, only the females are slightly smaller in size.
Their resemblance with Crows:
The overall coloration of Forest Ravens matches that of the Crows; the heads, bills, plumage, wings, tails, and legs of both birds are black.
Here’s how you can set them apart:
- Forest Ravens are considerably larger in size than Crows.
- Their bills are visibly longer and heavier than the latter.
- Forest Ravens have white eyes, whereas crows’ eyes are dark brown.
Giant Cowbird
Scientific name: Molothrus oryzivorus
Height: 28-36 centimeters (11-14 inches)
Weight: 135-180 grams
Wingspan: 35-38 centimeters (14-15 inches)
Lifespan: around 10-15 years
Known for their peculiar tendency to inhabit deep forests, unlike other cowbird species, the Giant Cowbirds are large icterids found in Mexico, northern parts of South America, and the Trinidad and Tobago islands.
Both sexes of adult Giant Cowbirds have yellow eyes and iridescent black plumage. Only the females are comparatively smaller in size and have a slightly duller plumage. Males also possess a neck ruff which is absent in the females.
Their resemblance with Crows:
Both Giant Cowbirds and Crows are of the same size and possess dark bills and plumage.
Following are the characteristics you can use to set the two apart:
- The bills of Giant Cowbirds are set higher on their face than the Crows.
- They have yellow eyes, whereas the eyes of Crows are dark brown.
Red-winged Blackbird
Scientific name: Agelaius phoeniceus
Height: 17-24 centimeters (6.7-9.4 inches)
Weight: 41-64 grams
Wingspan: 30-40 centimeters (12-16 inches)
Lifespan: around 2 years
Named after the bold red wing patches of the males, the Red-winged Blackbirds are medium-sized icterids found abundantly throughout North and Central America.
The adult Red-winged Blackbirds are highly sexually dimorphic, with the males sporting an iridescent black plumage with red wing patches that are visible in flight. They also possess yellow wing bars, but you can only spot those when they’re perched.
On the other hand, their female counterparts are smaller and have a dull brown plumage with lighter undersides, somewhat similar to the sparrows. Both sexes possess short, pointed grey bills.
Their resemblance with Crows:
The iridescent black plumage of Crows is similar to that of Red-winged Blackbirds. Both birds possess dark eyes, too. However, that’s where the similarities between the two end.
Here are some major differences between the two:
- Red-winged Blackbirds are smaller than the Crows.
- Their bills, although of the same color, are shorter and more pointed.
White-collared Starling
Scientific name: Grafisia torquata
Height: 21 centimeters (8 inches)
Weight: 61-67 grams
Lifespan: around 20 years
White-collared Starlings are a starling species found in the open woodlands of South America. These birds are highly sexually dimorphic, with the adult males sporting an overall glossy black plumage, except for a white throat patch that extends up to their wings.
The adult females, on the other hand, have primarily grey plumage with black wing tips and tail feathers. Both sexes possess bright yellow eyes and dark legs and bills.
Their resemblance with Crows:
The glossy black plumage of White-collared Starlings closely resembles the Crows.
Here are the major differences between their appearances:
- Crows are larger in size than White-collared Starlings.
- The namesake white-collar of the Starlings is absent in Crows.
- White-Collared Starlings have bright yellow eyes, unlike the dark brown eyes of Crows.
Wrapping it up
With this, we’ve come to the end of our article. Before we take your leave, let’s do a quick revision of everything new we’ve learned today.
We began by discussing the traits of crows that set them apart from the other birds. While these corvids are highly intelligent and have a sharp memory, the all-black appearance that they sport isn’t unique to them.
In fact, you saw how many birds from different families possess shiny black plumages just like them, including ravens, cowbirds, grackles, and blackbirds. So, the next time you spot a black-colored bird in your yard, you better not assume they’re crows before taking a closer look.
You’ve made it! We hope you had a good time reading this article. If you enjoyed it, please share it with your friends and family. We’d really appreciate it.
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