Common Raven vs gray wolf

Corvus corax compared with Canis lupus

Key Differences

• Common Raven is Not Evaluated while gray wolf is Critically Endangered.
• Common Raven is omnivore while gray wolf is carnivore.
• gray wolf is 37.5x heavier than Common Raven.
• Common Raven lives longer (15 years vs 13 years).

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Common Raven	gray wolf
Kingdom same	Animalia (Animals)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum same	Chordata (Chordates)	Chordata (Chordates)
Class	Aves (Birds)	Mammalia (Mammals)
Order	Passeriformes (Songbirds)	Carnivora (Carnivorans)
Family	Corvidae (Crows & Ravens)	Canidae (Dogs & Wolves)
Genus	Corvus (Crows & Ravens)	Canis (Dogs & Wolves)
Species	Corvus corax	Canis lupus

Evolutionary Relationship

Common Raven and gray wolf share a common ancestor at the Phylum level: Chordata. (Chordates)

Conservation Status

Common Raven

NE — Not Evaluated

Population: ~16.0M

Trend: Increasing ↑

gray wolf

CR — Critically Endangered

Population: ~300.0K

Trend: Stable →

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Common Raven	gray wolf
Diet	Omnivore	Carnivore
Average Lifespan	15 years	13 years
Average Length	60 cm	1.6 m
Average Weight	1.2 kg	45.0 kg

Habitat & Geographic Range

Common Raven

Habitat

Typically found in a wide range of habitat types.

Range

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

gray wolf

Habitat

Found across multiple habitat types including tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests, deserts and xeric shrublands, and tropical and subtropical dry broadleaf forests, among 13 distinct biome types. Populations are also found in montane and highland environments at higher elevations.

Range

Widely distributed across Africa (Seychelles), Asia (Japan), Europe (5 countries), North America (7 countries), Oceania and the Pacific (Marshall Islands, Vanuatu), and South America (5 countries). Currently classified as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List, this species faces significant conservation challenges across its range.

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.

gray wolf

The most widely distributed wild canid, gray wolves range from North America across Eurasia in diverse habitats including tundra, forests, and grasslands. Highly social animals living in family packs led by a dominant breeding pair. As keystone predators, wolves regulate prey populations and profoundly shape ecosystem structure, as demonstrated by their reintroduction in Yellowstone. Once heavily persecuted, populations are recovering in many regions.

Shared Countries

Both species can be found in 6 countries:

🇧🇪 Belgium 🇩🇰 Denmark 🇳🇴 Norway 🇷🇺 Russia 🇸🇪 Sweden 🇺🇸 United States