{"id":3493,"date":"2014-05-12T10:01:21","date_gmt":"2014-05-12T14:01:21","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/?p=3493"},"modified":"2021-10-04T08:31:51","modified_gmt":"2021-10-04T12:31:51","slug":"raven-crow-or-grackle","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/raven-crow-or-grackle\/","title":{"rendered":"Raven, Crow, or Grackle? How To Tell The Difference"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>Noisy and full of personality, crows, ravens, and grackles are very noticeable. But telling them apart is a different story. So just how can you distinguish a raven from a crow from a grackle? And what makes these birds unique? Read on.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Common Ravens<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/23326361@N04\/3169329827\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"600\" src=\"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2014\/04\/raven_David-A-Hofmann-Flickr.jpg\" alt=\"via David A Hofmann, Flickr\" class=\"wp-image-3504\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2014\/04\/raven_David-A-Hofmann-Flickr.jpg 800w, https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2014\/04\/raven_David-A-Hofmann-Flickr-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2014\/04\/raven_David-A-Hofmann-Flickr-624x468.jpg 624w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><\/a><figcaption>via David A Hofmann, Flickr<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Ravens, like crows and jays, belong to the family Corvidae. Incredibly intelligent, ravens can even learn to imitate human speech\u2014and some have been taught to&nbsp;say \u201cNevermore!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Common Ravens once lived throughout New England, but European settlers saw them as farmers&#8217; pests, lamb-killers and ill omens and did their best to exterminate them. Early colonists also clear-cut forests, which was bad for these birds&nbsp;because they prefer heavy, undisturbed woods. By the 1800s there were few or no ravens in the region. As the forests have regrown and the birds have gained legal protection, ravens have staged a remarkable comeback and are now nesting from the Berkshires to Cape Cod and the Islands.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Tips for identifying common ravens:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Large size, near that of a Red-tailed Hawk<\/li><li>Heavy bill<\/li><li>Shaggy throat when viewed at close range<\/li><li>Long, slightly pointed wings in flight<\/li><li>Fairly long wedge-shaped tail<\/li><li>Frequently seen soaring on flat wings; occasionally tumbles in the air<\/li><li>Often makes deep, croaking or scratchy, burbling calls<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Crows<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"750\" height=\"531\" src=\"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2021\/08\/4057Neal_Harris16996-750x531-482ea367-9d99-40cb-b1cf-b15b37762a66.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-16298\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2021\/08\/4057Neal_Harris16996-750x531-482ea367-9d99-40cb-b1cf-b15b37762a66.jpg 750w, https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2021\/08\/4057Neal_Harris16996-750x531-482ea367-9d99-40cb-b1cf-b15b37762a66-300x212.jpg 300w, https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2021\/08\/4057Neal_Harris16996-750x531-482ea367-9d99-40cb-b1cf-b15b37762a66-624x442.jpg 624w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 750px) 100vw, 750px\" \/><figcaption>American Crow \u00a9 Neal Harris<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>As with Common Ravens, early colonists also detested and hunted crows, but these smaller, more development-tolerant birds were never completely wiped out in the region. Crows are common throughout Massachusetts, and in late fall and winter they often gather in huge nighttime flocks to roost. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>There are two species of crows in Massachusetts: American Crows and Fish Crows. They look nearly identical, though Fish Crows are smaller, have a more buoyant, fast-flapping flight, and make a distinctly nasal call.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Some tips for identifying crows:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Slimmer beak than raven, with a short tail that is squared off at the end (unlike ravens\u2019 longer, wedge-shaped tails)<\/li><li>Broader, shorter, and less pointed wings than ravens<\/li><li>American Crows make a clear-sounding <em>caw<\/em> that is higher pitched than the deeper croak of a raven<\/li><li>American Crows are almost as large as a chicken<\/li><li>Fish Crows make an even higher-pitched, more nasal sounding <em>caw<\/em> that sometimes sounds like the phrase <em>uh oh!<\/em><\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Common Grackles<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"750\" height=\"500\" src=\"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2021\/08\/3093Rachel_Bellenoit27845-750x500-5e313bf4-27ff-4e19-98c9-9371f90cd939.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-16297\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2021\/08\/3093Rachel_Bellenoit27845-750x500-5e313bf4-27ff-4e19-98c9-9371f90cd939.jpg 750w, https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2021\/08\/3093Rachel_Bellenoit27845-750x500-5e313bf4-27ff-4e19-98c9-9371f90cd939-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2021\/08\/3093Rachel_Bellenoit27845-750x500-5e313bf4-27ff-4e19-98c9-9371f90cd939-624x416.jpg 624w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 750px) 100vw, 750px\" \/><figcaption>Common Grackle \u00a9 Rachel Bellenoit<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Despite also being targeted as pests, Common Grackles managed to prosper after European settlers arrived. Grackles&nbsp;tend to avoid thick, unbroken forests and readily inhabit settled areas. Grackles are members of the blackbird family Icteridae, as are various other Massachusetts birds such as meadowlarks, Bobolinks, and orioles. The Common Grackle is the only grackle species that breeds in Massachusetts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Tips for identifying common grackles:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>As large as a robin<\/li><li>Slender body<\/li><li>Long tails relative to their body size; often appears keel-shaped in flight<\/li><li>Iridescent blue feathers in a rainbow of colors (especially on the head)<\/li><li>Striking golden eyes<\/li><li>Often makes calls that sound like a rusty gate hinge<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Learn More About Birds<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Interested in honing your bird identification skills? Check out the resources on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.massaudubon.org\/get-outdoors\/activities\/birding\">Birds &amp; Birding on our website<\/a>.\u00a0Download backyard bird checklists, sign up for a bird walk with an expert naturalist at one of our wildlife sanctuaries, and learn all about the birds of the Northeast.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-right\"><em>updated August 2021<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Noisy and full of personality, crows, ravens, and grackles are very noticeable. But telling them apart is a different story. So just how can you distinguish a raven from a crow from a grackle? And what makes these birds unique? Read on. Common Ravens Ravens, like crows and jays, belong to the family Corvidae. Incredibly [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":40,"featured_media":16298,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[11],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3493","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-nature-notes"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2021\/08\/4057Neal_Harris16996-750x531-482ea367-9d99-40cb-b1cf-b15b37762a66.jpg","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p3t87A-Ul","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":1141,"url":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/books-for-a-rainy-day\/","url_meta":{"origin":3493,"position":0},"title":"Books for a Rainy Day","author":"Hillary T.","date":"December 10, 2012","format":false,"excerpt":"Looking for a book to curl up with? Try one of these great reads selected by the Audubon Shop\u00a0in Lincoln that help appreciate the natural world, from the Arctic to Massachusetts. In Arctic Autumn: A Journey to Season\u2019s Edge, Pete Dunne travels to the Arctic at an unexpected time of\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Stuff We Love&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Stuff We Love","link":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/category\/stuff-we-love\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2012\/12\/ID-1003412-book.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":16455,"url":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/take-5-misunderstood-wildlife\/","url_meta":{"origin":3493,"position":1},"title":"Take 5: Misunderstood Wildlife","author":"Ryan D.","date":"October 18, 2021","format":false,"excerpt":"Over the years, some wildlife has developed a \"bad reputation\". The reasons for this can vary\u2014some animals, like opossums and ravens, display behaviors and self-defense techniques that can look scary or off-putting to the human eye, while others, such as bats, are maligned by old folklore and mythology. Sometimes, a\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Take 5&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Take 5","link":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/category\/take-5\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Virginia Opossums \u00a9 Scott Eggimann","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2021\/10\/4263Scott_Eggimann20335-3.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2021\/10\/4263Scott_Eggimann20335-3.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2021\/10\/4263Scott_Eggimann20335-3.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2021\/10\/4263Scott_Eggimann20335-3.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":9903,"url":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/take-5-clever-crows\/","url_meta":{"origin":3493,"position":2},"title":"Take 5: Clever Crows","author":"Ryan D.","date":"October 9, 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"Crows have long suffered under the reputation of being \"bad.\" Crows raid crops, frequently steal eggs and chicks from other bird nests, and have been known to steal shiny objects such as articles of jewelry from people. Yet, these vocal black birds are among the most intelligent. Crow are said\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Take 5&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Take 5","link":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/category\/take-5\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Crow \u00a9 Steve DiGiandomenico","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2017\/10\/4021Steve_DiGiandomenico16614_fi.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2017\/10\/4021Steve_DiGiandomenico16614_fi.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2017\/10\/4021Steve_DiGiandomenico16614_fi.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":17036,"url":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/sounds-of-summer\/","url_meta":{"origin":3493,"position":3},"title":"Sounds of Summer","author":"Kaylin D.","date":"July 18, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"During this time of year, a chorus of unusual sounds echo throughout forests, wetlands, and grasslands. Different animals break the silence of the warm summer air, some recognizable like the hum of a cricket or the call of a mourning dove, but others may be harder to identify. Learn three\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;General&quot;","block_context":{"text":"General","link":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/category\/general\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2022\/07\/2122Mark_Grimason27982-750x500-c77cb97d-cf44-4fdc-9eb2-ed9af51e601d.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2022\/07\/2122Mark_Grimason27982-750x500-c77cb97d-cf44-4fdc-9eb2-ed9af51e601d.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2022\/07\/2122Mark_Grimason27982-750x500-c77cb97d-cf44-4fdc-9eb2-ed9af51e601d.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2022\/07\/2122Mark_Grimason27982-750x500-c77cb97d-cf44-4fdc-9eb2-ed9af51e601d.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":14039,"url":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/birds-to-look-for-during-bird-at-home-a-thon\/","url_meta":{"origin":3493,"position":4},"title":"Birds to Look For During Bird-at-home-a-thon","author":"Mass Audubon","date":"May 14, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"While this year\u2019s\u00a0Bird-a-thon\u00a0has shifted focus to birding closer to home and around your neighborhood, you can still find\u00a0tons of\u00a0exciting birds. Some birds are common in many habitats, like Northern Cardinals and American Robins,\u00a0but\u00a0here\u00a0is\u00a0a list of other feathered friends you are likely to see (or hear!) in habitats\u00a0across\u00a0Massachusetts along with some\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Get Involved&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Get Involved","link":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/category\/get-involved\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Burds you can see in an urban setting","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2020\/05\/Urban_photos.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2020\/05\/Urban_photos.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2020\/05\/Urban_photos.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2020\/05\/Urban_photos.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":15328,"url":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/the-first-sounds-of-spring\/","url_meta":{"origin":3493,"position":5},"title":"The First Sounds of Spring","author":"William Freedberg","date":"March 8, 2021","format":false,"excerpt":"Red-winged Blackbird \u00a9 Rachel Bellenoit Some resident birds start singing their spring songs in late February and early March like clockwork, no matter what the weather is doing. Even when winter keeps its grip on Massachusetts with snow and freezing temperatures, these birds mark the lengthening days with songs to\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Birds &amp; Birding&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Birds &amp; Birding","link":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/category\/birds-birding\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"red-winged blackbird","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2021\/03\/4136Rachel_Bellenoit17775.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2021\/03\/4136Rachel_Bellenoit17775.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2021\/03\/4136Rachel_Bellenoit17775.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2021\/03\/4136Rachel_Bellenoit17775.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3493","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/40"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3493"}],"version-history":[{"count":14,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3493\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":16427,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3493\/revisions\/16427"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/16298"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3493"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3493"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3493"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}