What is the difference between Corvus Corvus and Corvus Corax? While we commonly say Ravens are just Crows with fancy haircuts, is there an easier way to spot the difference? After all, Ravens only display their crests when they are displaying.
I am reading “Mind of the Raven,” but this basic question stumps me. Wikipedia does not seem to help. A search here did not help.
I don’t think there’s a species called Corvus corvus…do you mean Corvus corone, the carrion crow? Carrion crows are smaller than the common raven.
To show my ignorance. I thought Corvus Corvus was the common crow. Corvus Corax being one or another of the ravens.
Ravens get quite large - at least up here they do. There is no mistaking one for a crow. However, I’m not a birdologist.
So this led me to the Wiki entry for Common Raven which states:
Apart from its greater size, the Common Raven differs from its cousins, the crows, by having a larger and heavier beak, a shaggy throat, and a wedge-shaped tail.[20] The species has a distinctive, deep, hollow pruk-pruk-pruk call, which to experienced listeners is unlike that of any other corvid. Its very wide and complex vocabulary includes a high, knocking toc-toc-toc, a dry, grating kraa, a low guttural rattle and some calls of an almost musical nature.[21]
Is that it? Throat feathers and size? Crows can get dan big too.
Well, my bird knowledge is a bit rusty but yeah, from what I remember Ravens are bigger and well, squarer. Looking at pictures and seeing them at a distance might make it hard to see the differences but if you’ve ever seen the two species together the difference is more obvious.
Someone should poke that Colibri guy.
Oh, as for the question posed in the OP. I always imagined crows as faster, cleverer and feistier (except when being chased by mockingbirds, they don’t like being mocked) and ravens struck me as slower (in thought and action) and more lethargic. So even though he’s smaller, I think the crow would win, especially if he had tools.
Whooosh!
Isn’t a raven more like a writing desk?
The Raven is Nevar prepared.
Gosh, sorry, I don’t know every reference in popular and non-popular culture. Does it have something to do with that TV show with the former Cosby kid?
For some reason there is a current meme going around asking if X could beat Y if Y was prepared. Where that comes from I have no idea.
All you have to do is ask it what its lordly name is, on the night’s Plutonian shore.
Oh the Batman thing. Even when people use such memes I figure they are genuinely asking a question, especially if it’s in the forum called General Questions.
My response wasn’t completely serious though. Except for the thing about the crow tools. I’m always serious about crow tools.
The key differences (easily observable ones, anyway), are mentioned in that link.
More differences are mentioned here.
Truly I beseeched the bird, beseeched him for but a single word
“Oh please, avian visitor, lend me your wisdom, I implore
Tell me, are you crow or raven, I beg of you, be not craven
But stay and give me answer to this one simple piece of lore
Just a quick easy answer to this simple piece of lore.”
But he answered nevermore.
YOu will be pleased to learn that the crow and raven calls on your first link have caused endless amusement to by parrot. Thank you.
Less ornithologically, there are some differences here also.
But you toss that jargon around so cromulently!
I don’t know, I can’t even tell a hawk from a handsaw.
Ravens have names like Lenny: crows have names like Carl.