American Crow vs Common Raven

Corvus brachyrhynchos compared with Corvus corax

Key Differences

American Crow is Least Concern while Common Raven is Not Evaluated.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	American Crow	Common Raven
Kingdom same	Animalia (Animals)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum same	Chordata (Chordates)	Chordata (Chordates)
Class same	Aves (Birds)	Aves (Birds)
Order same	Passeriformes (Songbirds)	Passeriformes (Songbirds)
Family same	Corvidae (Crows & Ravens)	Corvidae (Crows & Ravens)
Genus same	Corvus (Crows & Ravens)	Corvus (Crows & Ravens)
Species	Corvus brachyrhynchos	Corvus corax

Evolutionary Relationship

American Crow and Common Raven share a common ancestor at the Genus level: Corvus. (Crows & Ravens)

View Genus: Corvus

Conservation Status

American Crow

LC — Least Concern

Common Raven

NE — Not Evaluated

Population: ~16.0M

Trend: Increasing ↑

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	American Crow	Common Raven
Diet	—	Omnivore
Average Lifespan	—	15 years
Average Length	—	60 cm
Average Weight	—	1.2 kg

Habitat & Geographic Range

American Crow

Habitat

Typically found in various aerial, terrestrial, and aquatic environments.

Range

Distributed across Norway and United States.

Common Raven

Habitat

Typically found in a wide range of habitat types.

Range

Found across Europe (6 countries) and North America (United States).

American Crow

The American Crow (Corvus brachyrhynchos) is a species in the genus Corvus. It is currently classified as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List. Typically found in various aerial, terrestrial, and aquatic environments.

Common Raven

One of the most intelligent birds known, common ravens demonstrate problem-solving abilities rivaling great apes, including tool use, planning, and deceptive behavior. Found across the Northern Hemisphere from Arctic tundra to deserts, ravens are highly adaptable omnivores. They form complex social hierarchies, engage in cooperative foraging, and have been observed engaging in play. Their intelligence and black plumage have made them figures of mythology across many cultures.